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Her eyes widen. “You know ASL.”

“Yes.”

She smiles and looks at Cipher, then back at me.

Cipher has gone still. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he signs.

“I hadn’t met your mother yet.”

He stares at me. “But you could have spoken to me.”

“I didn’t need to.”

The tent is loud, so nobody notices our exchange except Valli, who is looking between us. Cipher holds my gaze with frustration in his eyes. He looks at his mother, and she smiles at him.

Then Noa, who has been loudly telling Lach about a hole he dug recently, glances at us. “Why does everyone look like that? What did I miss? Someone tell me what I missed.”

“Cave knows sign language,” Valli informs him.

Noa turns to me slowly. “You know ASL?”

I nod.

“And you didn’t tell us?”

Cipher scoffs. “He said he didn’t need to.”

Noa looks between us, then at Cindy, and back to me. “I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to start. I think I need a moment.”

His moment lasts about four seconds. “Okay, fine, you know sign language. Now I’m adding it to the list of things I need to learn. You are the most interesting man I have ever met, Cave.”

Cipher tells me that this conversation is not over and we will talk about it privately later, which makes Noa throw out a comment about it being our first lovers’ quarrel.

We all get breakfast from the buffet before things get too awkward. Rue has prepared a feast; every breakfast food you could ever want, he has cooked.

After we all finish eating, Noa declares that it’s time for gifts. Every year we put all of our gifts under a tree inside the tent. It makes it feel more like we are a big family, or so they tell me. They all get up and go retrieve their presents, and once everyone is seated again, Cipher presents his gift to Noa. It’s a shovel, and it’s not wrapped, but it has a bow neatly tied around it.

Noa picks it up and reads what has been engraved on it. “For all the things that need burying and all the things that need to grow.” Noa puts the shovel down. “Cipher, this is the best gift a man could ever get, besides Cave being here.”

“It’s from all of us.”

Noa looks at Valli and then at me. “I love it. I love all of you, and I need you all to know that.”

“We love you too,” Cipher says, and Noa looks at Valli. “I love you too,” she says.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Noa Milton.”

“She LOVES me!” he announces to anyone who’s listening. “Did everyone hear that?! She loves me!”

Kelly smiles, Lach lets out a whoop, and others cheer, giving Noa the reaction he wanted.

“I love you,” he says. “I have loved you since the second week I knew you, but Cipher said I should wait to say the words so I don’t scare you away. Valli, I love you so much I would dig a hole on every continent for you, which is really an unreasonable amount, but I don’t care.”

Valli laughs, and he leans over and kisses her forehead.

This is what family looks like to me. It’s not a blood connection, but rather people who care about each other.