This time Mom had gone, Dad pacing the foyer as I entered. Petunia huffed herself to her feet and came to me in a rush, bumping my shins with her heavy head, whining for attention. Okay, food, not attention. She must have missed her nighttime snack.

Seeing Dad made my traitor heart constrict further. Did he count on the no contact list? I had told Fleur I wouldn't tell Crew, but did my father qualify, too? I agonized over it as I hurriedly led Petunia into the kitchen, ...