“Do you have a brother?”
Keys blinked, not sure where that question came from. “Yeah,” he answered, not wanting to lie. “One. He’s younger than me.”
Oscar perked up immediately. “Where is he?”
Shit. Keys had no idea how to answer that one. “I’m not sure, bud. We haven’t talked in a lot of years.”
“Why not? Was he a bad brother?” Oscar asked innocently, his character jumping twice in the interim.
Keys shifted uncomfortably. “He was, but I also wasn’t a good brother either. It’s complicated, Oscar. We were very different growing up, and some things are just easier to understand when you’re bigger.”
“Do you miss him?”
Keys kept his eyes on the screen for a moment, contemplating the direct question. “It’s hard to explain,” he said tentatively. “My home life growing up isn’t something I miss. I would have liked a brother growing up, but like I said, we were just too different.” He reached up to help steady the controller. “But when I was nineteen, I came here. You haven’t seen much of your new home yet. I might not have my blood brother here, but I found a new family, and an endless amount of new brothers who always have my back.”
“You did? Are they good brothers?”
“They’re fantastic brothers. You’ll meet them all one day.”
Oscar’s character did a flip. “I don't have a brother.”
Keys ran his hand through the boy’s blonde hair. “I know,” he said softly, recalling the conversation he’d had with Rose only hours ago.
“I want one.” Oscar said it so matter-of-factly, like one could just go into a store and pick a brother out tomorrow. “Mommy says ‘no’, though. Says it’s not safe.”
Keys tried to keep his face neutral. “She’s right. But you know, I’m working on making you safe, and as soon as your mommy is ready, we’ll sit down and discuss the possibility of getting you a brother or a sister.”
“Your new brothers,” Oscar asked with his focus still entirely on the television screen, “do they like dinosaurs?”
“I’m sure one or two of them do. But, you know whoreallylikes dinosaurs?”
Oscar appeared thoughtful. “Who?”
Keys bent down and whispered in the boy’s ear like it was a big secret, “Me.”
“Really?” he gasped.
Keys nodded. “I love dinosaurs, but there’s so many of them. I can hardly keep them straight! Do you think you could help me?”
“Yes!” Oscar exclaimed loudly, and then squared his shoulders. “But not tonight. I want to keep playing your game.”
“Tomorrow then,” Keys negotiated. That was, if the boy’s mother didn’t kill him for keeping them up past midnight. Leaning his head back, he continued to watch Oscar’s endless jumping crusade.
* * *
They tooka break after Oscar jumped his way to Level Four. Oscar slid off Keys’ lap and disappeared into the kitchen before Keys could even find his legs to stand up. Shit, there was nothing like the energy of a four-year-old to make one feel old. Keys heardthe refrigerator open, close, and a moment later, Oscar reappeared carrying a juice box in each hand. He dropped back down onto Keys’ lap like it was the most natural place for him to sit.
And for some reason, Keys fucking loved that.
After two failed attempts to get the straw in the little foil-covered hole, Oscar held one of the juice boxes up to Keys. “Can you help me?”
Taking the box, Keys inserted the straw and then handed it back to the boy, who promptly handed him the second juice box. Figuring he was thirsty, orreallyliked grape juice, Keys placed the straw inside the second one, too.
“That’s yours,” Oscar informed him when Keys tried to hand it back to him.
Surprised, it took a second for Keys to say, “Thank you.” He shouldn’t have been so shocked, but it honestly hadn’t crossed his mind that Oscar had been getting him a drink, too.
They sat in silence for a minute, both sipping their little boxes until the paperboard caved in on itself. The game was paused, the little blue man waiting patiently to start the next level.
