“Oh, hi. Is Ezra there?”
“He stepped out and forgot his phone. Is everything okay?”
He doesn’t respond, and he’s silent for so long that I pull the phone back to make sure the call hasn’t been disconnected.
“Yeah, just—did you talk to your lawyer today?”
An involuntary smile surfaces at the thought of Ezra and me sharing a lawyer, but I tuck that back in quickly.
“He—wedid.” It’s only a small fib.
“And?”
“And I think it’s best if you have this conversation with your brother. Why don’t you come over? He should be home soon.”
“Yeah, okay. Bye.” Without waiting for me to respond, he’s gone.
Fifteen minutes later, I welcome Kane into the apartment with a long embrace and guide him to the sofa. “What’s going on, bud?”
He sits on the edge of the cushion, one knee bouncing. “Are you going to adopt me?”
I nearly choke on my saliva, and it takes everything in me to keep my eyeballs from popping out of my face. He thinks we—Ezra and I—are going to adopt him. I’m only ten years older than he is. Do people adopt kids who are only a decade younger? What am I even saying?I’mnot adopting Kane. Ezra is. Or he’s trying to. But Kane thinks we’re married, so of course he’d think we both are. Now would be the time to come clean. Tell him we made the whole marriage up to save face in front of Rob.
I’m garnering the courage to admit the truth to him, but before I can, Kane hits me with the saddest look.
“It’s just that…” He runs his hand through his shaggy blond hair just like Ezra does when he’s nervous. “It’s only ever been me and my mom. I only know what it’s like to have a mom—not a dad—and well…” A small sob escapes him before he can choke it back.
I scoot in closer and rub his arm, doing my best to comfort him.
With a deep inhale, he continues. “I miss my mom every fucking day, and no one will ever replace her, but,” he peers atme, his hazel eyes filled with so much anguish and desperation, “you seem cool, and it’s obvious my brother loves you.”
I stiffen at that remark but tell myself he’s drawing a normal conclusion that a husband would love his wife—not that Ezra specifically loves me.
I really wish Ezra were here. He’d know what to do. Probably. I can’t possibly tell this lost, devastated kid that our marriage is a sham. My heart breaks for him, losing a parent at such a young age.
“Are you going to adopt me?” It’s the second time he’s asked, and it punches my heart just as hard.
“Oh, Kane.” I pull him in and sob right along with him.
At the sound of a crash nearby, Kane and I pull apart and turn, finding Ezra standing at the top of the stairs with grocery bags scattered around his feet and oranges and an onion rolling across the tile.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” He looks at me first, then to his brother, his eyes wide with panic.
I scoot over and motion for him to sit between us.
“We’re fine,” I confirm while Kane wipes his eyes and nose with his shirt.
Ezra sits and cups my jaw, tenderly thumbing my tears from my face. His eyes askAre you sure you’re okay?
I nod, leaning into his hand.I’m okay.
“He wants to know what happened with the lawyer. We were waiting for you.” Diving into the rest of our conversation will have to wait until later.
Ezra goes into the details of his call with the lawyer, and though it’s the first time I’m hearing them, I keep my face neutral so Kane doesn’t catch on.
“Do I have to go back to Rob’s?” Kane asks.
“Absolutely not,” Ezra replies. “You can continue staying atMano’s for summer school, or you’re welcome to the pull-out sofa here with us.”
