"Nooo problem, Marie dear," he cooed sardonically, and then chuckled. "You gave a great reason."

"Yeah." I smiled, moving on to the tomoatoes. "God, I love your house."

"Well, technically, it isn't mine anymore— but I get it, thanks. I love the old place, too." He grinned.

Darrin and Nikki were out playing in the garage. I hadn't noticed until now, but they had been all along; it was a spin on an old Delaney tune that caught my attention, I think. An instrumental interlude they had used between tracks. Soft, even mournful, piano laced with bluesy guitar riffs over a subtle bass/snare pulse.

"Do they even know I'm here?" I nodded slightly toward the sound.

"I don't think so." He smiled a little and shook his head.

"Did they know I was coming?"

"Unless one of my parents told them,"

"Wow." I laughed. "They do know I'm in town though, right?"

"Yeah. Of course." I'm still not sure if that was sarcastic or not. "Well, my mother should be back from the store by now— God, Marie, you broke the charm of the gum, I'm dyin' over here."

"Sorry," I smirked, even though I meant it. "But you did ask for it."

"Fuck," He said, daubing his eyes with a damp paper towel.

"Hey, I'm back, guys." Mrs. Delaney entered in all her blue-jeaned glory. I always imagined she'd have made a great soccer mom if any of her kids had gotten into it, which they hadn't.

"How's that salad comin', Marie?" She spoke using the same dainty swiftness with which she unpacked the groceries.

"Almost done." I sliced into olive number two, having eaten number one.

"Perfect." She threw the onions into the warm pan. "Oh, Andy, you should just go wash those eyes, dear— you're only making them redder by rubbing." And suddenly, poor Andy, he was gone. "Get Darrin and your sister on the way back?" She called gently after him.

"'Kay." Sounded dejectedly from a few rooms away.

I finished the salad while he was gone, and was tossing it when they all entered. Nikki was the first to see me.