"Are you coming to the new house tonight? Miss Simone said maybe we could order pizza after the big truck."
Nia sat beside her. The mattress dipped. She took Amara's hand and held it, studying the small fingers, the glitter nail polish that was chipped on two nails.
"Baby," she said softly, "Mom didn't know about the new house yet. Daddy was going to tell me. So I need you to help me understand. When did you start packing?"
Amara considered this with the seriousness of a witness. "After spring break. Daddy said it was a surprise for when you came home. He said you worked so hard that we were getting a fresh start. I got to pick my room. It has a window seat too. And a tree outside that Miss Simone says will have oranges."
"Oranges," Nia said.
"Uh-huh. And Daddy cried one time when he thought I was asleep. But then he said he was just happy. Adults are weird."