Gabby and Dad invite Ben inside
as if they had been expecting him all day,
and I use my introduction
as an explanation

Gabby insists he stay for dinner
and when Anna discovers
he rides she drags him
off to the barn to meet her horses
I tell Dad I’m sorry

He butters the garlic bread
and then looks across the counter at me
drawing his eyebrows together
“So who is this boy, Lucy?” he asks.

“I told you. I met him at the show last weekend.
We’re friends.” I say.

I take the pan from him and slid it into the oven
and when I look up he is still watching me.

“What?” I ask.

“I’m just surprised, that’s all. You’ve never…”
His voice trails off and he exchanges a look
with Gabby.

And even though he didn’t say it, I know what he
wanted to say.
That I don’t bring boys home
That I haven’t even talked about a boy
since that night three years ago
and he is wondering what this means
and about many, many
more things that he will not ask me

until Ben goes home