Jake sat at the top of the staircase, away from sight, as Mary and the disheveled man talked. When Mary tried not to raise her voice, her vowels became sharper. Jake knew this tone all too well. He knew it meant she knew that he was listening, but didn’t want him to know what the conversation was about.

Jake remembered her speaking in that manner when she was on the phone with the hospital twelve years ago. As if Jake wasn’t going to find out that his father died. But he understood that Mary didn’t want him to find out in an overheard conversation.

Jake heard the door shut. He slowly crept downstairs to see the top of the blonde girl’s head as she walked into the kitchen. Mary stood by the door, and let out a long sigh.

“Mom?” Jake said as he walked off the last step.

“Oh, hey Jakey,” Mary replied, while trying to clear her throat.

“Who is that girl?”

“She, uh … ” Mary paused for a moment. “Her name’s September. She’s my Cousin Elisa’s daughter.”

“Cousin Elisa?” Jake replied.

“Yeah, Elisa’s been missing for the last few days. I offered to watch September until they find her.”

“Was that guy the dad?”

“No, her dad ran off when she was born. That guy's, uh … a family friend,” Mary said through a half-grin.

“Well, I've never met him,” said Jake. “In fact, I've never met a Cousin Elisa.”

“She’s distant,” Mary said in a long breath. “No more questions, please.”

“But I have sooo many.”

Mary put her hands on Jake’s shoulders. “Jake, September doesn’t have anywhere to go, so she has to stay with us.” She let go of his shoulders. “Just for a little while. It'll be okay, I promise.”

Jake watched as Mary walked into the kitchen. He could tell she was trying to sound “pleasant” to make September feel comfortable. He also knew this manner of speaking.