Who opens letters for people who are afraid to, who calls in at 5:29 instead of 5:30. Who tells the truth even when it would be easier not to. He paused. That doesn't happen by accident. Somebody built that into you.
And that somebody did a fine job. Marcus pressed his hand flat on the porch railing. He breathed through something. "Thank you," he said. "Stop thanking me," Robert said.
"I'm just being accurate. " Marcus looked at him. Then he laughed. Because Robert had just used the same words Olivia used. The family resemblance visible in a completely different way. The back door opened and Olivia put her head out.
"If either of you are trying to freeze to death out here, I need more notice so I can plan accordingly. " We're drinking coffee. Robert said, "You're sitting in 38°. " She said, "It's December. " Robert said, "It's supposed to be cold. " She looked at Marcus. How long has he been doing this? This specific thing since I met him, Marcus said. She shook her head.
"Come inside in 10 minutes," she said. "I made pie. " She closed the door. They sat in the 10 minutes like men who understood that this particular kind of quiet on this particular porch looking at this particular fence was worth sitting in for exactly as long as it lasted. Then Robert said she's going to ask you something. Marcus went still.
What? I'm not saying what, Robert said. I'm saying be ready. Robert 10 minutes is up. Robert said and stood up carefully with his coffee cup and went inside.
Marcus sat there alone on the porch for 30 seconds. His pulse doing something it had no business doing at 34 years old over nothing Robert had actually said. He went inside. Olivia was at the counter cutting pie. The girls were at the table.
Zoe mysteriously awake again the moment dessert appeared. Robert had settled into his armchair. Everything was exactly as it should be. Olivia handed him a plate. Can I ask you something?
She said low voice. Just to him. Here it was. Yeah, he said. She looked at him steadily.
The meeting with Gerald after the holidays. When you go to sit down and talk numbers, she paused. I want to come with you. He looked at her. Not to interfere, she said quickly.