Chapter 20: Chapter 20: FLYNN IS NEVER GOING TO CHANGE

Martin had been gone for eleven weeks since Christmas, yet I felt his presence as soon as he walked through the door. Everyone came to life when he was home. Or so it seemed. Mom appeared chirpier; Dad, much more talkative –no, more like argumentative, and it brought a smile to my lips when I saw how easily Martin could rile him when they spoke about football and cars.

He came home for two and a half weeks before he'd had to head back to St. Cloud for a month to finish his senior seminar and graduate. When he'd said he was coming back to live at home, I felt overjoyed with excitement. Something had changed with him, though. For the first time ever, he'd invited a girl to our home.