She did not look back.
« Come on, kiddo, » I said, guiding Aby inside. « Let’s get you settled. »
Aby glanced up at me with an expression I could not read, then followed her brother to the couch without a word. I closed the door behind us, unaware that I had just watched my sister disappear.
One hour turned into two. Two turned into five. By the time the streetlights outside my window flickered on, I had called Ruth 11 times.
Every call rolled to voicemail; her mailbox filled up around call number seven.
Aby sat cross-legged on my rug, drawing careful little circles on the back of an envelope. Arthur had curled against her side, already half-asleep, his thumb drifting toward his mouth.
« Aunt Alice? »
Aby’s voice was small. She didn’t look up from her drawing.
« Yeah, sweetheart? »
« Is Mommy in trouble? »
