Photo 5:
Lorenzo mid-grab trying to steal a pie from me. I'm yelling. "As I should," I say proudly.
"You screamed,'I will break your fingers.'" Daisy reminds me.
"He was asking for it."
"You were holding the last one," Lorenzo says dramatically. "You are not worthy of their mother's cooking," I say.
Photo 6:
Lorenzo clinging to Daisy's leg while she drags him across the living room. "I forgot this happened," Lorenzo says, squinting. "I didn't," Daisy replies. "My knee still hurts."
"Pretty sure you called her your emotional support human," Noah laughs.
"You cried."
"I didnotcry."
"Your voice cracked," Rava says.
Photo 7:
Me digging in the sand with Emiliana. Everyone just stares. "Oh my god," Daisy says, "look at your face!"
"Shut up."
"You're so serious," Rava whispers. "Like you're building a fortress."
"She called me out," I say. "She said I couldn’t do it. I had to prove myself."
"She's six," Noah wheezes. "You got schooled by a toddler."
"I built her a castle and she thanked me," I snap. "Respect the bond."
Noah flips to the last page.
I lean over his shoulder to see what he's looking at. All five of us, crammed into my car this afternoon. Me holding that damn bowl of pies like it's a newborn.
Rava, with that tired, sun-hazy smile of his, one hand braced on the dashboard, the other tossing his hair out of hisface. Daisy in the back, sunglasses crooked, trying to elbow Lorenzo away from the aux cord. Lorenzo, screaming laughing with a half-eaten peach in his hand, mouth wide open like he's being murdered. And Noah, pressed up against the window, snapping the pic. We all look wrecked. Wrecked and stupid and sun-drunk and perfect. Noah lets out this long, shaky sigh. "This," he says, "this is the one that's gonna kill me." Rava leans in, head nearly on his shoulder.
"You took that with your front camera?"
"I was sacrificing oxygen, I was squished against the glass," Noah snaps.
"You're welcome." Lorenzo points at the screen.
"Bro, why do I look like I'm about to get exorcised?" Daisy is wheezing.
"Because you are." Rava smiles. "That was a good day."
"It was today," I say.
He shrugs. "Still counts."
Noah looks at all of us, eyes glassy again, but smiling. "You fuckers, I'm gonna be insufferable on the plane." I nudge his arm with my elbow. "You already are."
We all laugh. Then I look down again. At the picture. Noah sniffles. "Fuck you guys."
