Chapter 37

“Where in the world did you find that tray?” Brody said.

“In the pantry. Why?”

“I think I remember making that as a fifth grade project and giving it to Grandma.”

Brian poured a glass for everyone, then the visitors began to walk through the house carrying their wineglasses with them. When they returned to the upstairs porch, Brody’s aunt was relating stories about herself and Brody’s father. After one such story, she looked at her brother, and said, “How old were we when we moved to the house in town, Malcolm?”

“I think you’d just started high school,” Brody’s father said.

“Yeah,” she said. “I remember, now. I was excited about becoming a city girl.” She sighed. “It all seems so long ago.”

“Did you enjoy being a city girl?” Brody said.

“Not at first, but it kind of grew on me,” she said.

The bottle of wine had been emptied, and their guests were preparing to leave.

“Don’t be strangers,” Brody said to his aunt and uncle.

“That works both way, young man,” his aunt said.