Zoey nods. “But I put fresh veggies in it, so it’s slightly healthy.”
Lulu smiles at her sister. “It’s perfect, Zo. This is a good way to end a shit day.”
“So, it’s edible, then?” I ask, earning looks from both of them.
“I know my limits, and it doesn’t involve homemade soup,” Zoey says, grabbing Lulu’s bowl. “I’m great at ramen, though. It’s one of the only things I can’t screw up.”
“Miracles do happen,” Lulu says, touching her sister’s arm as Zoey scoops out the long, curly noodles.
“I’ve had a lot of practice, and it’s hard to mess up water, noodles, and their little magical packet of flavor.”
I don’t care what she made. I am going to eat enough to fill my stomach and then take Lulu to bed and put the entire day behind us. We’d deal with the fallout tomorrow or whenever Lulu is ready to talk about it in more detail.
Lulu and Zoey have a great relationship. They genuinely like each other. Liam and I have never had that. Sure, we love each other, but that’s because we grew up together. However, Liam and I have never had the same closeness as the girls.
Would I go to battle for my brother? Hell yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want to spend more time with him than I have to.
With every passing year, Liam has become a bigger shithead. My time in the military created the biggest wedge between us. I think Liam felt abandoned, and he’s never been able to get over the years I was gone.
“How many times have Mom and Dad called?” Lulu asks, moving the vegetables around in her bowl.
I grab the ladle, filling my bowl halfway, not wanting to take any food away from the girls. My time will be spent staying quiet, letting them talk about whatever they want.
“More than you want to know,” Zoey tells her. “They’re worried, but I told them you were in good hands.”
“Literally,” Lulu says, giving me a sheepish smile as she lifts the spoonful of carefully rolled noodles to her mouth.
“Mom’s beside herself that you didn’t stay with them.”
“I know,” Lulu breathes, “but they’d hover. And right now, I need space.”
“Do you want me to go?” Zoey asks, setting her spoon down in the bowl.
“No. No. I want you here. I need you here.” Lulu glances at me. “You too.”
“I’m wherever you need me,” I promise her. “For as long as you do.”
“I like this,” Zoey says. “It’s like having a brother.”
“This is nice,” Lulu says. “Not the other stuff, but this part.”
“Yeah,” Zoey says. “Do you ever wish we had a brother?”
“God no.” Lulu’s quick to answer. “It would’ve been awful. Boys are so smelly and annoying.” She looks at me again. “Not you, of course, but the others.”
“I have my moments,” I tell her, trying to keep the conversation light.
“I think after me and you, they’d had enough.The thought of another kid, especially a boy, would’ve sent them right over the edge,” Zoey adds.
“We were a handful,” Lulu says.
“Still are.” Zoey snorts. “The last few days are a testament to that.”
“Amen,” Lulu says, laughing with her sister.
“Were you an easy child?” Zoey asks me.
“What do you think?” I reply.
