Chapter 57

“You don’t think Nana will be lonely in the other room, all by herself?”

“She’s a big girl.”

“She surely is, kiddo,” Kevin said.

We tucked him in with the stuffed animal he’d been allowed to bring on the trip, said good night, and joined the others in the living room. Mom was relating the episode in the kitchen when Anthony had shied away from her.

“He doesn’t know you, Harriet,” Dad said.

“Actually,” Kevin said, “he did the same thing with my mother this morning in Mason City, and he’s lived with her.”

“I have a theory about that,” I said.

“What?” Kevin said.

“From what we know of the situation, it seems that your brother and his wife made a habit of dropping Anthony off with people for days at a time. The current girlfriend doesn’t like kids, and they were doing the same thing.”

“You’re saying he’s afraid he’s going to be left behind again?” Kevin said.

“Exactly.”

“That makes sense,” Dad said.

“That poor little boy,” Mom said.