No Allison.
Patricia looked at me.
“You want me to answer?”
“No.”
I opened the door.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Geoffrey said, “Can I come in?”
The irony was not lost on either of us.
His face tightened.
“I know.”
I stepped aside.
He entered.
Patricia hugged him automatically.
I noticed how long he held onto her.
Then we sat in the living room.
Geoffrey looked around.
“This place never changes.”
Patricia gave a faint smile.
“That’s supposed to sound comforting.”
“It does.”
He rubbed his hands together.
“I need to tell you something.”
I waited.
“The restaurant is failing.”
“We know.”
His head snapped up.
“What?”
“We know.”
“How?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
“Geoffrey.”
He stopped.
I had used the tone I used when he was young.
Not angry.
Final.
He looked down.
“We owe a lot.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
