Sam's not smiling. It's always felt a little like lying to her. Now it feels like she's forgiven him without knowing a word of any of it.

It makes it worse, somehow.

If he had any decency, if he were half the man or had half the character of his brother or, in some respects that leave a sour taste in his mouth, his father, Sam would walk out now. Before this got any deeper than it already was.


"I'll just... stay on the couch, huh?"