PAUL DOESN’T THINK too much about it when Alex goes outside to take a phone call. When twenty minutes pass without him coming back, though, he starts to worry. As much as Alex hasn’t wanted to be at this party, he’d surely keep any conversation short unless it was urgent. Considering the group they have assembled here, Paul has a hard time imagining what the issue could be. He lets another five minutes pass, then goes to check on him.
He finds Alex on the lower level of the deck. He’s no longer on the phone but is clutching it as he stares out at their pool.
Paul knows that look, knows he should wait for Alex to speak first, but Alex doesn’t even seem to be aware of his presence. Paul has the sudden worry that something terrible has happened to Alex’s mom. He can’t think of what else cou
