It had been ages since I’d heard from my stepdaughter, Hyacinth. When she called out of the blue and invited me to dinner,
I thought maybe this was it—the moment we’d finally make amends. Little did I know, she had something far more surprising in store.
I’m Rufus, 50, and my life has always been steady, maybe a bit too steady. I’ve got a quiet office job, live in a modest house, and most evenings find me with a book or the news on TV. Excitement?
Not much of it, and I’ve been content with that. But if there’s one thing I’ve never been able to get a handle on, it’s my relationship with Hyacinth.