Page 113 of The Ones We Fight For

“Yes.” Talia swallowed and blinked back her emotions. “I’m ready when you are. And Walker?”

“Yeah?” He grinned.

“My mom would have loved you.”

“Even though I can’t cook her recipes?”

“Oh, you’re going to learn.” Talia retrieved another apron from the bottom drawer that said “Grill Master” on it, and barked out a laugh. “Your brother was a giant dork.”

“He was,” Walker confirmed.

“Should we see if anyone else wants to help?”

“Hey!” Walker shouted into the hallway. “Everyone come to the kitchen! We’re learning how to cook.”

Half an hour later, Piper and Colin were up to their ears in flour as they rolled out the laffa. Carter was using a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander to spice the lamb shoulders, which Talia had already drizzled with olive oil. He seemed the most enthusiatic out of all his siblings, hovering over Cooper, Pearl, and Jayla to make sure they got the red onion sumac salad right, while Talia and Walker watched from barstools at the island, Talia calling out orders and offering help when necessary.

By six, the flatbread was baked, and the lamb was out of the oven, filling the room with the mouthwatering aroma of spiced meat. Amala and Roscoe waltzed into the house without knocking, Roscoe looking like he might die if he didn’t have a mouth full of shawarma as soon as possible. Plates were dished out, and soon the dining table was packed with the chaos of the two families scarfing down their food, talking with their mouths full, and relentlessly tormenting each other, a frenzy of food and conversation.

“What do you think? Could you get used to this?” Walker squeezed Talia’s knee under the table, and she looked over the table thoughtfully. Cooper was in the middle of telling the story of how he and Jayla had become friends with Camden. He was interrupted many times, as every single person at the table was well aware that Camden was the kid Jayla had punched in the face earlier that year, and they all felt the need to insert their opinions on the matter.

“I already am.” Talia nodded at Walker and then said a little louder, “I personally think it’s a great idea.”

“You do?” Carter balked at the same time Amala did.

“Yes,” Talia said clearly. “His mother mentioned he had been going through some stuff. I think that everyone needs a friend. Camden was projecting his own insecurities about himself onto Cooper when they were both struggling. He just needs someone to care about him. My mother always used to say, ‘Neshama sheli, you must learn to be the picture of kindness and grace.’ Sometimes your enemy isn’t your enemy at all, but rather someone you could miss out on knowing.” Talia looked over to Walker, who brushed his thumb over her leg in understanding.

“I agree,” Walker announced, pushing his chair back as he stood up. “I also think it’s time to clean all this up and get to charades. I plan on winning this time.”

The table erupted with a chorus of arguments over who would actually win, the consensus being that Colin would not. He won everything else, so everyone was happy to point out the one thing he was terrible at.

???

“I get to go next!” Amala called out as she hobbled over from the bathroom, where she had excused herself to pee four times since the start of the game.

“We just got ‘goalie,’ and we’re in the lead now!” Roscoe informed his wife as she came to stand in the middle, pulling a piece of paper from the hat that sat on the coffee table. Amala barely glanced at the slip of paper as she held up the number three. Walker, Talia, Colin, Pearl, and Carter sat on the other couch, while Piper, Cooper, and Jayla all shouted out the obvious: Amala’s phrase was three words. Talia narrowed her eyes as Amala scrunched her face a little, holding her hand out in a horizontal “c” shape like she was holding a glass.

“Drink!” Jayla shouted. Amala motioned for everyone to continue guessing.

Water. It has to be water, Talia thought.

‘Water?” Piper asked. Amala touched her nose and held up the number two. “Okay, the second word is water.”

Holding her hands out like she was gripping handlebars or a rod of some sort, Amala repeatedly proceeded to snap the invisible object over her knee like a stick.

“Ninja!” Cooper shouted.

“Kung fu?” Roscoe said doubtfully.

Break?Breaking? Talia’s eyes widened as the realization hit her. Holy shit!

Jumping off the couch, Talia grabbed Walker’s hand and yanked him up. He followed her in alarm, wildly looking around the room for whatever was amiss as she snatched the minivan keys off the hook by the door.

“Whoa, where’s the fire?” Roscoe joked.

“Amala’s water broke! We’re going to the hospital,” Talia announced.

“What? No, her water didn’t…” The end of Roscoe’s statement faded as he looked at his wife, who was clearly in the middle of a contraction. “What the hell? Why would you try to tell me that via charades, Amala?”

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