Her father looked up.
“You’ve seen it?”
Paul hesitated.
“No.”
Elise stared at him.
He smiled.
“I mean, just now.”
Her father looked at the drawing again.
The faceless figure outside the house wore a red cap.
Paul wore a red baseball cap almost every day.
His father’s expression slowly changed.
“Elise.”
She looked down.
“Who is outside the door?”
Paul laughed.
“It’s a kid’s picture.”
Her father ignored him.
“Elise?”
Her eyes filled.
“I’m not supposed to say.”
Everything in the kitchen stopped.
Paul’s smile disappeared.
Her father’s voice became quiet.
“Who told you that?”
Elise looked toward her uncle.
Paul stepped back.
“That isn’t what this looks like.”
Her father stood.
“What does it look like?”
Paul raised both hands.
