CHAPTER TWO
Ben
ITAKE A DRINKof my Coke, then set the glass down on the table I’m leaning on. It’s a perfect California day so I’m taking advantage of it out on the patio. I’m trying to write a song that’s been stuck inside of me, but I can’t find the words.
“Already drinking?” Jesse asks as he steps out into the bright sun’s rays.
I pick up the glass and shake it side to side. “Coke.” I take another drink.
“Fucking beautiful day, bro.”
I nod. “That it is.”
Jesse stands there, hands on hips, and he looks down. His hair had started growing back but the babies latched onto it, so he’s been keeping it short. Mine’s still long. I let it grow when he got his cut. We look too much alike otherwise.
He lifts his head and looks to the sky, closing one eye he looks over at me and nods. He sits in the chair across from me.
“You wanna talk about it?” Jesse asks.
I run my hands through my hair. “Fuck, I don’t know, man.”
“The adoption thing?” he questions.
I nod. “Yeah. Cage pointed us in the right direction but for both Nicole and me, something doesn’t feel right.”
“What do you mean? Like it’s a shady deal?” Jesse’s hands turn to fists. “One word to Gio and—“
I shake my head, cutting him off. “No, not like that. We just know what we want and it’s not the perfect baby. So many other couples want and need that. What I think Nicole and I need are kids who need us the same way we need them. Does that make sense?”
“Sort of, but not really.”
“We want to not only find our children, we want children who deserve a better shake at life than what they’ve got going on.”
His brow furrows. “So, kids like Joan takes in.”
I nod. “I know it doesn’t make sense to you. Man, I don’t know how to say it other than to say we’ll know they’re our children when we see them or their picture.”
“Then that’s what you do, bro. Just take it a day at a time. You’ll find them.”
I know he’s right. It’s the waiting. And I thought Nicole was bad.
“Patience, brother. Patience,” Jesse says simply.
“Got any to spare?”
“With four toddlers? Are you fucking kidding? This morning Konnor colored on the walls while Kierah cut his hair.”
I laugh. “What? How did she get scissors?”
“They’re the child kind! I thought they weren’t supposed to cut hair. Dude, Konnor’s gonna be sporting my short cut, and right when it finally filled in.”
“How did she…” I burst out laughing.
“She’s a she-devil. I’m serious, bro. I told Lucy to call Nana Russo to come over and deal with this girl or I was going to call her myself.”
He leans his head back and I’m grinning, trying not to laugh.
“What’s the wall look like?”
