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checked her watch, but Laura did not leave. “Roxie, there’s something else.”
    â€œUh-oh, I know that look. A cup of tea is in order, with a slice of my mother’s homemade almond coffee cake. Let’s take ten minutes.”
    Roxanne got up and went to the electric teakettle she kept on her file cabinet. Pouring a cup of tea for each of them and slicing a generous piece of cake, she returned. Laura sat across from her. They’d done this countless times over the past twelve years, in one or the other’s offices.
    â€œI’ve always had such a great relationship with all my kids,” Laura said, “but something’s changed. Not with the boys, they’re okay, but with the girls. Even Natalie, but to a lesser degree than Nicole.”
    â€œLike what?” Roxanne asked.
    Laura told her about the birth control pills. “She must be lying to me,” she concluded.
    â€œWhat if she’s not?” Roxanne asked.
    Laura had to admit that she hadn’t given that option any credibility.
    â€œMaybe Nicole’s been a handful from time to time, but she’s never lied to you, has she?”
    â€œHow would I know? I can’t trust my judgment. That’s what scares me.”
    â€œWhy don’t you give her the benefit of the doubt? Tell her you trust her. Then keep a good watch on the girls. Nicole doesn’t even have a steady boyfriend, does she?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œSo probably she’s not sleeping with anybody.”
    â€œWhen you put it that way, I guess I overreacted. Sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed. Three teenagers in the house. At least I don’t worry about the two in college.”
    Roxanne grinned. “What you don’t know—”
    â€œThanks, Roxie. Why do I always feel better just talking to you? I’ll follow your advice—let this all blow over. With Thanksgiving coming up, there’ll be lots of distractions.”
    â€œWhen are the others coming in?” Roxanne was referring to Laura’s sister, who with her husband and seven-year-old son, was flying in from their Paris home, and to Laura’s brother, Ted, a Jesuit, stationed at the General Curia in Rome.
    â€œJanet tomorrow, Ted on Thursday. In time for dinner, if my mother’s prayers are answered. Mike and Kevin will be home tomorrow night. Then we’ll head to Mom and Dad’s for the long weekend. I rented a condo on Anna Maria Island, so we’ll probably all hang out on the beach.”
    â€œYour life always has been complicated, Laura. Louis and I just have my mom and the boys.”
    â€œHey, give my best to Louis—I’ve got to get going. And say hi to Stacy if you talk to her before I do. If anyone can give us advice about our AIDS case, she can.” Laura was up and out.
    â€œGuess what,” Roxanne called out, “I bet I know something that you don’t.”
    â€œWell, speak up!” Laura turned as Roxanne cracked a smile.
    â€œBreaking news from the CDC. Stacy got promoted to Section Chief or some big title like that. How about that for your mentee kid?”
    â€œFantastic. That girl is going to make a difference in so many lives.”
    But Laura’s pride was mixed with shame. Stacy Jones would never know what had happened to Johnny. Stacy would never know that her friend and mentor had killed her brother eighteen years ago.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    T UESDAY , N OVEMBER 26
    Victor held Matthew’s hand in his gloved one. Then he moved his chair closer so he could caress Matthew’s forehead and cheeks, letting his fingers run over the purplish blemishes of Kaposi sarcoma. Matthew had been worried about his disfigured face. He’d tried using different types of concealer makeup, but that had only made the blotches more ghastly.
    So far Victor had not broached the subject of AIDS with Matthew. Had Matthew, a science teacher, suspected that those purple lesions were a sign of Kaposi