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“Then explain it.”

“You’re standing outside their home trying to remove me from it.” I take the crushed flyer from her hand and smooth it against my coat. “You’ve made my point for me.”

Juney catches my wrist. Her thumb presses against the green beads Heather put there.

“Come with me for five minutes.” She looks toward the open door. “We can drive around the block. If you tell me you want to come back, I’ll bring you back.”

Heather doesn’t call my name.

“Come home with me,” Juney says.

I remove her hand from my wrist. “I am home.”

“This isn’t you,” she says.

“You haven’t known this part of me.”

“Neither have you.” She gestures toward the open door. “Nate, please.”

“My name is Oliver.”

Juney steps back. I walk past her and climb the porch steps.

Heather remains beside the sofa. I go to her and put my arm around her waist. Jamie looks up at me from her other side.

Juney follows me as far as the doorway. “What are you doing?”

I draw Heather closer. She allows it. “We knew no one would understand our family.”

“You expect me to believe this is some kind of relationship?” Juney looks at Heather. “He would never leave without telling me.”

“He did,” Heather says. Her voice is even. There’s no attempt to make the story easier for Juney to accept.

Juney’s face hardens. “What did you do to him?”

Heather looks at me instead of answering. I tighten my arm around her.

Juney takes out her phone again. “I’m calling the police.”

“You may. They’ll find four adults living together. Jamie will tell them he’s here voluntarily. Simon will say the same, if you can persuade him to leave the kitchen long enough to answer.”

“I’m right here,” Simon says.

Juney looks at him. “Will you tell them that?”

“Yes.”

She turns toward Jamie. “And you?”

Jamie leans his head against Heather’s shoulder. “I already told you I live here.”

Juney looks at Heather between them. “You think this proves anything?”

“I have nothing to prove to a jealous sibling,” Heather says.

Juney’s thumb hovers over her screen.

I move away from Heather and step close enough that Juney lowers the phone. “If you send police into this house, I’ll tell them you’ve been harassing us because you refuse to accept my relationship.” I keep my voice low. “I’ll tell the school I resigned and chose not to contact you. Jamie and Simon will confirm every relevant part.”