“The school took her without one?”

“I asked the doctor who gave Raven her immunizations and wellness exams to create one for her.”

“You and this doctor went there often?”

“Once or twice a year.”

“And you never saw anything unusual?”

“I admit I did the first time I went there. The house was protected with video cameras, alarms, and locks. But as I said, Audrey had other irrational fears, so that didn’t seem too unusual for her. And these days, lots of people monitor their properties with video cameras.”

“But if you visited only once or twice a year, you didn’t really know what was going on.”

“I knew how it was to live with my sister. She’d had emotional problems from a young age. So yes, I was worried. I did everything I could to normalize Raven’s life. After she turned five, I pressured Audrey for years until she finally gave up on homeschooling and let Raven enter second grade. That was important. The socialization of public school did wonders for Raven.”

After a long silence, Raven was about to leave for the guest room when Ellis said, “All these years, I’ve been tortured by the thought of someone hurting her.”

“The doctor and I never saw any hint of abuse. I wouldn’t say her childhood was normal, but I can assure you, she was loved.”

Raven pressed her hand over her mouth to hold in a sob. No matter what bad things everyone said about Mama, she had certainly loved her. And Raven loved her back.

She sensed the conversation was over and hurried to the guest room, wiping at tears. She brought out stacks of folded clothes and laid them on the bed. She opened the closet and found a hanger for her favorite sweater.

“I doubt you’ll need that anytime soon,” Aunt Sondra said from the doorway. “It’s already summer here.”

“I guess so,” she said.

“Raven, I need to leave,” her aunt said, coming into the room. “You have my number, and Ellis has a phone. Call if you need anything.”

Raven stayed silent. Because she and Jonah were withholding everything she needed.

“We’ll work out what you want sent from the house later. First we should see how things go here.”

Raven looked out at the trees to stop herself from crying again.

“It will get better.”

It wouldn’t until she went home. She wanted Jackie so badly her chest hurt.

Her aunt hugged her. Raven returned the embrace, though she was angry.

“I feel better about you being here than with your father,” Sondra said. “Your grandmother is mean-spirited, and Jonah has completely lost control of River. That wouldn’t be a favorable environment for healing.”

Ellis came to the door.

“I’m going to buy a ticket and drive back to Orlando,” Aunt Sondra said.

“You’re leaving already?”

“I have to. There’s a situation that’s come up at my company.”

Ellis glanced at Raven. Raven sensed she felt the same way she did. She didn’t want to be left alone with her.

Aunt Sondra booked a flight and left in a hurry.

Raven closed herself in the guest bedroom, unpacked the rest of her clothes, and slid the suitcase under the bed. She held the rock with an R in her palm. Today was the anniversary of Jackie’s father’s death. And she wasn’t there to help him. Even worse, Raven’s absence made the anniversary more troubling for him.

She squeezed the rock into her palm and curled around it on the bed. She felt like she had no heart inside her but that cold little stone Jackie had given her.

When she woke, the room was gray with twilight. The house was dark except for the glow of one lamp in the living room.

Ellis wasn’t inside. Raven looked out the front windows and saw her sitting in one of the rocking chairs, staring out at the trees. Quercus was sprawled at her feet. Beyond the trees, the sky was pink, red, and orange.

Ellis didn’t say anything when Raven sat in the chair next to her. Raven liked that Ellis knew how to be quiet. Like Mama. And Jackie.

The sky turned lavender, then a sad and indescribable color that ended the day.

“That man who was here . . . ,” Raven said.

“His name is Keith Gephardt.”

“Will he come back?”

After a few seconds, Ellis said, “I don’t know.”

Because of Raven, he had left. And because Raven had once belonged to Ellis, she was far from Jackie. They were even.

As all traces of daylight vanished, lamp glow emanating through the windows took over.

“The mosquitoes are getting bad,” Ellis said. “We’d better go inside.”

She turned on a porch light as they went into the house. For Keith probably.

“I made dinner,” Ellis said. “It’s warm on the stove.”

Raven followed her into the kitchen.

Though Raven hadn’t asked for food, Ellis dished out two plates and set them on the table. It was some kind of casserole with greens and a bean salad.

“I’m vegan,” Ellis said. “I hope that’s okay for you.”

“A friend of mine is vegan,” Raven said. She sat down and ate, thinking about Jackie. He would be happy she was in a vegan house.

Raven had little appetite, but she ate most of the food and told Ellis it was good. She helped wash and dry the dishes. Ellis had a dishwasher but washed the few dishes by hand. That was what Mama usually did, too.