Caro had yet to taste the bitter lessons life often delivered. Her thoughts carried an idealism untouched by harsher realities.

She believed taking Henry home would lead, naturally and without conflict, to her fathers understanding. She hadnt explained the specifics of the family tension to Henryonly asked him to accompany her, trusting it would suffice.

Henrys mother, catching wind of the scheme, allowed her smileusually brittle and perfunctoryto blossom into ...