Five minutes until they arrived.
I went to the front window and watched their car pull into the driveway.
Alex got out first.
Sean hurried down the steps to greet him.
Nancy followed, carrying a small overnight bag.
She looked excited.
That was the detail I found hardest to ignore.
Not nervous.
Not conflicted.
Excited.
I opened the door before they could knock.
“Come in,” I said warmly. “There’s something I want to show you before you leave.”
Sean laughed.
“You’re making this sound like a surprise party.”
“Something like that.”
They entered the living room.
I offered them drinks, but nobody seemed particularly interested.
Sean checked his watch.
“Should we get going? We still need to unpack.”
“In a minute,” I replied.
I looked at Nancy.
“How long have you and Alex been discussing this?”
Her smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The swap. How long have you known about it?”
Alex shifted in his chair.
