Ginny spotted Adrian first.

The chubby little thing called up to him in her soft voice, "Come down! There are so many pretty lights!"

The moment she did, Jeremy looked up.

The old and the young locked eyes. Adrian held his gaze, steady and unblinking, for nearly half a minute — until Molly joined in: "Bro, Dad got a ton of sparklers!"

Something unreadable moved through Adrian's expression. After a beat, he answered, "Coming."

He turned back to his room, ...