Two of her grandsons had been staying there when I first moved in, but they’d both found love over the last year and went off to live with their partners. Only I remained. Most of the decorations were still in place from the night before, but the peen forest in the foyer had apparently been heavily logged. Only six stragglers were left behind, and they were clustered around the front door, as if they were eager to go join their friends. I assumed some of the guests had taken the other two dozen balloon phalluses home, and grinned at the thought of cars driving all over the city with giant dongs sticking out the windows. The house smelled a bit like a funeral parlor, since Ollie had had dozens of bouquets of flowers delivered to Nana for the holiday. Roses, lilies, and things I didn’t have a name for covered almost every surface in the living room and kitchen. I had to move three flower arrangements aside just to get to the huge chrome espresso machine. I needed caffeine desperately, so I sighed in frustration as I spun dials and poked at the complicated device.
