"House-sit?" Evan frowned into the phone. "This weekend? I don't think I can."
"We'll pay for your plane ticket home," Auggie bartered, pacing the perimeter of the kitchen. "Cab home from the airport, stocked fridge, 1500 channels. You'd have the whole place to yourself."
"I have an exam scheduled with special services this afternoon," Evan said, massaging the bridge of his nose to stave off the irritation gathering in his sinus region.
"Perfect!" Auggie jumped on the end of his son's sentence. "Your mom will book you a red eye for tonight."
"Dad," Evan groaned. "Where are you and Mom even going?"
"Atlanta," Auggie lied. "For work."
"Atlanta," Evan repeated skeptically. "And how long will you be gone?"
"We'll be back Monday night."
"By which you mean, Wednesday morning."
"As of right now, I mean Monday night."
"Well I hate to break it to you, Pops, but I have that same idiot's econ class at 9 a.m. Monday morning."
"Come on," Auggie countered. "You're the most infamous party animal on the Eastern seaboard and you're telling me you've never missed a class?"
"I'm telling you that my life is all about balance."
"You can bring Kat," Auggie tried his last bargaining chip.
"Sorry, Dad. She's got econ, too," Evan said. "Guess you'll have to get Prince William to watch the place."
Auggie grunted in response, hoping to illustrate his disappointment to the fullest extent.
"Have fun in Hotlanta!" Evan cheered as Auggie hung up the phone.
"Can he do it?" Annie asked, her heels clicking on the kitchen tiles.
"No, he chose this weekend to buckle down and actually attend class," Auggie said.
"So ask Billy!" Annie said.
"I would, but I'm pretty sure he's your handler."
"Damn it," Annie hissed. "So what do we do?"
"Why don't you just get the CIA to watch your house and the NSA to bug your phones?" Eyal asked, entering the room and dropping what sounded like a backpack on the kitchen table. "They're doing it anyway."
"Cynicism not appreciated," Annie mumbled.
"Your children sound like upstanding citizens," Eyal commented. "I say that sincerely."
"I love my boys," Annie said. "They're good kids."
"Let's hope they stay out of harm's way," Eyal said.
"I hope that every day," Auggie muttered. "But I'm sure my parents hoped that for me, too."
"Do they know what you do?" Eyal asked.
"They do," Annie said. "To some degree."
"They know we're CIA," Auggie sighed.
"You read them in."
"It was a tough decision," Auggie explained. "But it happened organically."
"Do you regret it?" Eyal asked.
"Every day," Auggie said. "But you can't take it back."
