“Kinda sounds like it to me,” I say under my breath.
Alex glances back. “What?”
“Nothing. Go on, Noah, get to the part where you told him to kiss your ass,” I say. “And that other part where you were handcuffed.”
“So, I say to the cop, ‘Why are you hassling him? We’re goodkids, we’re doing his mom a favor.’ And he says, ‘No one asked you. Why don’t you keep your mouth shut, kid?’ So obviously that’s when I said, ‘Why don’t you kiss my shiny metal ass?’ I feel like anyone would have done the same.”
“No, Noah! People wouldn’t say that to apolice officer. Are you crazy?” I yell.
Alex is still standing there, quietly assessing the situation.
Noah rolls his eyes. “You would have said it, Mom.”
“Anyway, so then he handcuffed you?” Alex asks.
“He told Jose to go home and then he told me something about how I was shaping up to be a felon. Before he called Mom, he handcuffed me and said, ‘This is so you don’t go trying anything while we wait for your mom.’ Like I was really gonna take off wearing flip-flops. It was all for show, to scare me. Whatever.”
“Would you have run if you were wearing Nikes?” I say through gritted teeth.
My hand is shaking and my ear is twitching. I know I’m reaching anger Defcon 3. Alex looks calm, which only fuels my frustration.
“You don’t get me, Mom!” Noah says to my face, pointedly.
“Excuse me? I don’tgetyou?! Igrew you…in my body…like a mad fucking scientist!Itotally get you!”
“Danielle,” Alex warns. “Calm down. Let’s talk in the kitchen and try to decide what to do.”
He used my whole name. I’m in trouble. “Fine,” I say. The apartment is small. We walk three feet into the kitchen. The boys can totally hear and see us. It’s ridiculous.
I have my hands on my hips.
Alex is about a foot taller than me so he has to lower his head to talk quietly. He leans down and says, “I believe him.”
“Why?” I want to know if Alex has even thought this throughor if he’s looking for an easy way out. A way to stay in the kids’ good graces. “How are you so sure?” I push further.
“Because he’s just like you, Dani…Always getting in trouble for doing the right thing.” He half smiles. There is something in his expression that looks almost like admiration.
“I would have totally done that, huh?” I say.
“Yes, you would have done the exact same thing. You’re both entirely incapable of hiding how you feel about something.”
“I hope it doesn’t get him in actual trouble,” I say.
“Look at him,” Alex replies. I look back to see Noah setting up the chessboard to play Ethan. “He’s not looking for trouble.”
“Neither am I, but it seems I have no problem finding it.”
“You’re shaking, Dani.” He takes my hands in his. It feels unfamiliar. That’s how long it’s been. I forgot how soft his hands are. They’re big and masculine, but soft.
“I’m short-circuiting,” I tell him. “My anxiety is through the roof! We still need to talk to him, Alex.”
“I’ll do the talking. Come on.”
What?This is new. Alex is doing the talking?
“Noah,” Alex says, “remember when your mom was in Salt & Straw with you guys that one day and saw that man mistreating the worker?”
“Yeah, I do remember, he was a jerk. How can a person be unhappy when they’re about to getice cream?”
