Jay grabbed his backpack from the floor and dashed from his room. My team and I, and Sandra, hustled to keep up, arriving just as Raymond opened the front door. Marlon stood on the welcome mat.
“Raymond,” he said.
“Merry Christmas, Marlon.”
“Dad!” Jay called. He ran forward and flung his arms around his father. Marlon was taken aback by the show of emotion, but hugged his son before pulling a red apple from the plastic market bag he carried. Jay jogged back a few steps, hands up for a catch. Marlon obliged and lobbed the fruit to his son, though in my opinion his heart didn’t seem in it. Jay didn’t notice. He just smiled, shooting a see-I-told-you-so look back at his mother.
Felicia and Monica arrived at the doorway. “Daddy!” They hugged him and he patted them modestly on the heads as
