Jake’s energy was still a little low in the afternoons and evenings, but he’d bounced back from surgery quickly. He was already trying to get gelato every meal again. And in between meals.
Basically every chance he could get.
An empty paper cup sat in the trash can from this morning. Noah and Angela really needed to get back in the practice of saying no to Jake sometimes. But Noah wasn’t the only one shaken up. Angela admitted she’d been too permissive with him lately, too, but she assured Noah things would go back to normal once they got back to the States.
Angela poked her head through the open door connecting their rooms. “What’re you two goofing off about?”
“Nothing,” Noah said. “Just teasing Jake.”
“Steve,” Jake said in a deep voice and cracked up again.
Noah met Angela’s eyes and shrugged. She pretended to roll her eyesat their antics, but she pressed her lips together, too, a sure sign she was holding in a laugh.
“Nonno’s almost here. You all packed up?”
“Jake is. I’ve got a bit to finish. I can check us all out when I’m done.”
“Okay. Mind helping me with the luggage?”
“Come back and visit us soon,” Nonna said, pulling Jake into a tight hug, kissing his cheeks over and over.
“I’m coming for summer break!” Jake said.
Noah and Angela and Jake had already talked it over. Jake would stay with Noah for the school year, Angela would visit over Christmas, and Jake would visit her over the summer.
Noah might visit, too—not for the whole summer, but for a little while.
Ramin might come along, too.
“I can’t wait!” Nonno said, taking his turn to hug Jake. “Bring your fishing rod, okay?”
“Okay. I’ll try.” Jake’s face turned serious. “It’s okay if we don’t have time to go fishing, though. I’ll still love you.”
Noah grinned. That was progress. Right?
As he loaded the suitcases in Nonno’s car, he spotted a familiar striped tank top out of the corner of his eye. Ramin glanced both ways before jogging across the street, ignoring the crosswalk completely.
“Hey.”
Noah pulled him in for a kiss. “Hey.”
Ramin took his time hugging Angela and Nonno. He gave Nonna an extra-long hug and said something that Noah couldn’t catch but that had Nonna blushing. Then he knelt down next to Jake.
“See you soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
“We can play with your new set when I get back, if you like.”
“Really?” Jake asked.
“Really. If you don’t mind.”
“That sounds cool.”
“Good.” Ramin glanced Noah’s way, then looked back at Jake. “Thanks for letting your dad stay with me. We’ll be back home soon.”
“Okay,” Jake said. “Don’t worry. I won’t call you Steve.”
