The house always sounded different when guests arrived in winter. The entryway carried the sharp scent of cold air for a few seconds before it softened into warmth. Coats brushed against one another on the rack. Leather shoes tapped against wood before finding a place to land.
Arianne heard the doorbell from the dining room. She had been at the head of the table, reviewing the seating cards she had rewritten twice. The ink was glossy under the chandelier light. She set the pen down and walked toward the foyer.
Franz reached the door before she did. He moved without hurry, but without hesitation either. The twins followed behind him down the short hallway, Lily slightly ahead, Leo keeping pace with his tablet against his chest.
When Franz opened the door, the cold came in first, then Julian. Julian stepped inside and brushed snow from his sleeve. Gilbert followed. Nate came last, pausing just inside the threshold before stepping fully into the entryway.
