Nicole and Bobby squirmed in the back seat. Their hair flew about in the wind. They ribbed each other, elbowed each other, screamed with delight over a song as it came on the radio, and screamed at each other for nothing at all. Marie ignored it all in distracted anger.

Just what was Richard doing besides sleeping at Ellen's house? What would the neighbors think? She cringed at what she was sure they all thought of her, of course they'd side with poor misunderstood, Richard. "Jerk!" Marie gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. Neither of the back seat combatants gave her a second's thought as they gasped in unison over the grand mansion they pulled up next to.

The kids ran up to the house ahead of Marie and jumped around by the door trying to get a view of the inside through the little windows above.

"Calm down," Marie said as she collared one of each of her over-excited kids in each hand. When they stopped bouncing about, Marie knocked on the door. It swung open and Bobby, and Nicole wiggled free of her grasp.

Cynthia stepped aside to let the pair of teenagers run by. "Out the back, by the pool," she directed them. "Glad you could make it," she said as she took Marie's arm and led her through the house to the patio.