Ethan walks over and hugs my mom. She’s kind of a surrogate mom for him, too. She was there for us all growing up and no one could love us more.
“Don’t get so upset, Mrs. M,” Ethan murmurs.
She hugs him fiercely. “It’s not right.”
“No, it’s not, but it’s the way it is. Words won’t break me, or Linc, or us together.”
Mama kisses Ethan’s cheek. “Such good boys. Such love. I’m so proud of you both.”
“What about me?” Xander asks.
Mama gives him a look, one I know is teasing, but he doesn’t know it.
“Idiota!”
Xander runs over and hugs her. “I love you, Mrs. M. Whatever I did, I’m sorry.”
She starts to laugh.
Xander pulls back from the hug and looks down at her with the same look he gave Ethan.
“Trickery!” Xander shouts. “I’m getting a complex.”
“You’ll get over it,” I tell him.
“There’s nothing to get over. Now I know for sure I’m made of awesome. Mrs. M loves me.” Xan struts.
“Yes, I love you, Xander,” Mama admits. “I was talking about the Twitter idiots.”
Xan continues to strut.
Kiki comes into the kitchen, runs right past Xander, and beelines for Tera. Tera picks her up as Xander looks on. His smug expression deflates.
He falls to his knees in front of Tera and Kiki. “Why you gotta do me so wrong, Kiki? I thought you loved me. You’re breaking my heart.”
“Kiki love you,” Kiki tells him. “Kiki love RaRa too. She gives me piggies.”
“Piggies?” I ask.
She pulls on her pigtails. “Piggies.”
“But I teach you how to play the drums,” Xander argues.
“Kiki love drums! But RaRa shares her lip gloss,” Kiki tells him.
Xander stands up and dusts off his knees. “Well, there’s no topping that.”
Tera laughs. “Especially when the lip gloss is flavored.”
“You cheater!” Xander scolds.
Tera laughs some more and Kiki claps.
This kid. She’s two going on twenty. I’m starting to like her. I look over and Ethan’s smirking. Damn it. Busted.
21
ETHAN
