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"I don't know," he answered honestly. He didn't know, he wasn't sure what would be the right thing. It was such a complex situation, made even more complex by the amount of time that had lapsed, and Max felt unable to discern what was appropriate. "I don't know, I--"

This decision was only made more difficult by the moral obligation he felt to protect Nona, to stand by the decisions she had made and help her in any way he could. He was betraying her a little, he knew, by revealing this information at all, and there could only be so much he could tell Melania before it was too much for him to explain away. This much, he knew: he had to let Melania know as much as he could concerning her brother. Anything else... Max frowned, and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

He shifted even more uncomfortably when it was clear that Melania wasn't understanding. Support? Ethiopia? No, no.

"She doesn't live there," Max supplemented quickly. "She lives here. And she didn't--" he hesitated, glancing down at the dog at his feet. "She didn't---" Was there a way to put this delicately? "The child isn't in her care. She wouldn't need---"

Max shook his head. No, this was heading toward a place that he couldn't quite go. "I can't-- I promised her that I wouldn't--- but maybe you can---"

Just as he was about to explain that Melania had all the information she needed to perhaps explain to Oliver, help him along this path, when the cool voice that he had so thought would be tucked away in his room spoke up from behind him.

"Isn't in her care?" Oliver Comstock echoed suddenly from the door. Max's stomach dropped, and he felt his body freeze in its spot. No--- How long had he been there, how much had the boy heard?