“Who do you turn to?” He closed his eyes and swallowed. “When you need succor?”
I knew he was thinking about his dad.
I put my hand on his shoulder. It was awkward—I didn’t know how Sohrab could just do stuff like that without thinking about it—but after a second it felt okay.
“I guess... that’s what friends are for.”
Sohrab looked up and almost squinted.
Almost.
He put his arm over my shoulder, and I reached across him so we were linked.
“I’m glad we are friends, Darioush,” he said. He reached up and mussed my hair. I liked how he did that. “I’m glad you are here.”
“Me too.”
“I wish you could stay. But we will always be friends. Even when you go back home.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
I squeezed Sohrab’s shoulder. He squeezed mine back.
“Okay.”
A TACTICAL WITHDRAWAL
We hadn’t watched anyStar Trekon Nowruz, of course—that would have been impossible—but the day Sohrab showed me the rooftop, Dad brought out his iPad after dinner.
“I’m making tea... mind waiting for me?”
“You’ve seen it before,” Dad said. “You know your sister gets impatient.”
By the time I finished, Laleh sat pressed up against Dad with his arm around her, well into the first act of “Allegiance.”
They looked happy and content without me.
Like I said, I knew Laleh was a replacement for me. I had known that since she was born. But I had never minded it before. Not that much.
Star Trekwas all Dad and I had. And now Laleh had replaced me at that too.
The quantum singularity in my chest churned, drawing more interstellar dust into its event horizon, sucking up all the light that drew too close.
I took a sip of my tea and then went back through the kitchen and out into the garden.
The jasmine was in blossom again. Everything was silent, except for the occasional rattle of a car cruising down the street.
I loved the quiet. Even if it sometimes made me think of sad things. Like whether anyone would miss me if I was dead.
I sipped my tea and breathed in the jasmine and wonderedif anyone would be sad if I was killed in a car accident or something.
That’s normal.
Right?
“Darius?”
