It happened on an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday, three days after the journal, in the middle of an argument about whether Ezra's insistence on rearranging the spice rack counted as a violation of the household rules or merely an improvement Lucien hadn't asked for.

"It's alphabetized now," Ezra said, holding up a jar of cinnamon like evidence in a trial only he seemed to be taking seriously. "You should be thanking me."

"I never asked for it to be organized."

"You didn't have to ask. Some of us have initiative."

"Some of us don't respect boundaries."

"Some of us," Ezra said, setting the jar down with exaggerated care, "make excellent coffee...