"I'm going to recommend the children remain in your care, with your mother as a support placement while you sort out housing. I'm also going to tell you something you won't like." She leaned forward. "I'm opening a case on the household. Not just on her. On the household. Because for eight months this happened under your roof and nobody in charge of these kids saw it. That's not a punishment. That's a fact we have to work with. Do you understand?"
He thought of the notebook. The check marks. Be the man of the house.
"Yes," he said. "I understand."
VII
Vanessa came to Larchmont on Sunday evening, just before dark.
She had called eleven times since Thursday. Andre had let every call ring through. Her texts had gone from Where are you to Please call me to This is insane to, finally, a single line on Saturday night: I packed some of their things.
She parked her silver Camry at the curb and did not get out right away. Andre watched her through the front window. She sat with both hands on the wheel, the way he had sat in the truck that first night, and he recognized it, and did not want to.
"Take the kids in the back," he said to his mother.
Gloria was already moving. "Come on, babies. Help me with the dishes."
He went out onto the porch and pulled the door closed behind him.
Vanessa came up the walk carrying two suitcases — Lulu's purple one with the unicorn, Theo's plain gray one — and a plastic Target bag. She set them on the bottom step. She looked smaller than he remembered, though it had been only three days. Her hair was still pulled back, but some had come loose at the temple, and she had not put on her earrings.
"Her rabbit's in the bag," she said. "Mr. Biscuit. She can't sleep without him."
"She's been sleeping."
Something crossed her face. "Okay."
They stood there. The porch light buzzed. Across the street a neighbor was pretending to check his mailbox.
"A woman from Children's Services came to the house," Vanessa said. "She left a card in the door. She wants to interview me." Her voice was very even. "You called them on me."