Page 239 of A Matter of Time

“Yeah.”

“Nothing.”

Quick breath. “Okay, so can I take you to eat?”

“Sure, but I’ll buy. What do you want?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m downtown. You want just, like, a sandwich or something?”

“That sounds great. I’ll just change and⁠—”

“You’re at home?”

“Yeah.”

“Where’s that now?”

“Don’t laugh, but it’s in the exact same place.”

“Oh, that’s right, Jen told me that.”

“Jen?”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “You know, your sister Jen.”

“You still talk to Jen?”

“Off and on. Rachel too.”

Beats of time went by.

“Sam?” I thought maybe the call dropped.

“What the hell?” He yelled at me.

“Why’re you mad?”

“I’m not mad, I just… I wanna know when somebody in my family sees you.”

“Why?”

“I just do!”

That made no sense. “But it has nothing to do with you.”

“It has everything to do with me! My whole family’s still crazy about you.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re⁠—”

“I would. Shit. Nobody⁠—”

“Did you know that Dane and your dad and Dane’s friend Jude golf together?”

There was a long pause. “I’m sorry?”

I chuckled.