Us.There’s that word again.
“And I eventually get to live with you for good?”
I dig my nails into Ezra’s hip, silently signaling to him that we’ll have to deal withuslater. “Yes,” I reply on his behalf.
He reaches over to interlace our fingers. His hand is strong and warm and brings a sense of comfort I haven’t felt in a long time.
Kane lets out a huge sigh of relief. “Okay.”
“Okay, what?” Ezra asks.
“Okay, I’ll stay at Mano’s until summer school is over, then I guess I’ll go back to New York with you?” His voice cracks at the end.
“Is that what you want?” It’s suddenly occurred to me that he probably hasn’t been asked that question since his mother died.
He nods, his hazel eyes glossy with honesty.
“Good. It’s settled. What’s all this?” I ask, standing to collect the bags off the floor.
Ezra rises and takes the groceries from me. “I’m making matzo ball soup for you. You too, Kane. You’re staying for dinner.”
“What’s matzo ball soup?” his brother asks.
“Only the soup that cures everything.”
I’m kicked out of the kitchen—which is totally fine by me—so Kane and I observe Ezra from the barstools and include him in a game of would you rather.
“Would you rather,” I begin, “dress up as a rabbit every day or eat rabbit food for the rest of your life?”
“What do rabbits eat?” Kane asks.
“Hay, grass, and vegetables.”
Ezra quirks a brow at my reply.
“What? I had a rabbit growing up. Her name was Bunny.”
Kane barks out a laugh. “Your bunny’s name was Bunny?”
“Just answer the question.” I pick a tiny seashell from the dish on the counter and fling it at him.
“I’d dress up like a rabbit,” Kane says.
“Same,” Ezra agrees.
He took his shirt off after he splattered oil on it, and now I’m forced to stare at the dark smattering of hair that starts just below his navel and travels down, down,down?—
“I’ve got one.” Kane’s voice snaps me back to the present. “Would you rather get stung by a bee every day or pee every hour?”
“Gross,” I laugh. “Get stung by a bee.”
“What? No. Definitely pee,” Ezra says, whipping around to look at me. “You’d want to get stung by a bee?”
“Of course you’d choose to pee. If I had a dick, I’d choose that too. But for a woman, peeing every hour would suck.”
Kane nods solemnly. “That’s fair.”
“My turn.” Ezra’s voice is low. “And it’s a serious one.”
