10
Daniel.
Jake made the suggestion over eggs, casual as weather. Forked his last bite, pointed at nothing, and said, “Ava should just stay the rest of the summer.” Like generosity. Like a solution to a problem no one had named. The pan hissed behind me; I turned off the burner because I needed to finish something that wouldn’t get me in trouble. Looked at her, then at him, then at the window like maybe there’d be a note taped to the glass with the right answer. She smiled down at her plate, careful, as if the yolk might decide how this went.
“It’s a long drive back and forth,” Jake said, pleased with himself. “She’s already here. We’re having fun. Right?”
“Right,” Ava said, and it was both the smallest and truest word in the room.
I rinsed the pan first before talking. “It’s up to h
