Adia doesn't miss the change in tense, from present to past. She winces instinctively in sympathy, then fumbles for her coffee and takes a long sip, wondering if she should say something. She's lost family -- her entire family, in fact. But she's an only child. Maybe it's different to lose two sisters.

"That's really nice of you to offer," she says finally. "Um. I can help you set up the haunted house if you need an extra set of hands?"

She brushes a stray crumb from the table, her smile returning. "When you put it that way, Halloween sounds much more fun."