Was he playing a game with me? Trying to see how long it was until I succumbed to his will? The family came over on Saturday, temporarily releasing me from the spell Damien Wolfe had cast. I spent most of the day with Bobby. Playing peek-a-boo with a baby is a cleansing experience for the soul. Stevie and Adam cracked me up—they were like helicopter parents, constantly fretting if the boy even coughed. They’d learn. Resilience was inherent in children. We all sat around my dining table with the sounds of Neil Diamond singing Forever in Blue Jeans. It was the perfect soundtrack for an easy listening brunch with the family. Marley and Rick were back from their honeymoon. We’d talked about the wedding and their trip to Jamaica. Their happiness was tangible, and it was infectious, making us all giddy. Except, Marley did seem a little jittery. In fact, everyone at the table was displaying their nervous habits. Adam and Stevie looked tired as new parents usually did, but why did they keep turning to each other with pleading looks like they held onto a troublesome secret?
