I went back to Liam's house that night with my hands in my jacket pockets, rehearsing what I was going to say next.
Thank you for last night.
I'm sorry I disappeared.
Can I stay one more night?
Nothing sounded right.
Mrs Everhart opened the door before I even knocked properly. She froze for a second, then smiled like she'd been waiting.
"Dom honey," she smiled, softly. "You're back."
"Yeah," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "I just… wanted to thank you for last night. And uh.. ask if I could maybe stay one more night. If that's okay."
She didn't answer. She stepped aside instead.
"Come in first," she said gently.
The garlic smell hit me as soon as I stepped inside.
The dining table was already set. Extra chairs were pulled out. Plates were also stacked. Someone had lit the candles Liam used to knock over when we were kids.
"That's… a lot of food," I said slowly, glancing toward the kitchen. "What's the feast for?"
