Page 70 of What We Broke

“To the zoo,” Jesse responds at the same time Zara says “Chihuly Garden and Glass.”

Sitting in the front beside Jesse, who’s driving, I shift my body to make it easier to look back at her. “Where do you think we’re going?”

She glances down at the shorts and t-shirt she’s been instructed to wear and then back at me, who is also dressed in something similar.

“Why is it only me and Leo who are dressed the same?” she asks.

“I just came back from the gym,” I lie.

She eyes me skeptically but remains silent as she looks out the window, completely fed up with the three of us.

It only takes another five minutes before Jesse pulls into the studio parking lot and a huge sign at the top of the building reads ‘Dance It Out.’

Zara and I both keep our eyes focused on Raine, not wanting to miss the moment of realization. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about her reaction. I don’t want her worry about dancing in front of other people to overshadow any potential excitement.

Her eyes dart around the car, looking at each of us. “What are we doing here?” she asks, her voice full of nerves.

Zara throws an arm around her. “You’re going to take dance lessons.”

Raine wrings her hands together, and I can see her start to pick at her cuticles. I don’t think I’ll even be able to get her inside if I don’t tell her the rest and ease her worry.

“It’ll just be me and you,” I tell her. “That’s why we’re dressed the same.”

She looks between our outfits and then back at me. “We’re going to dance lessons?”

I nod. “Every Thursday afternoon.”

“Only you and me?” she presses, and I know she isn’t asking because she’s curious to see if her parents are joining us.

“Yes. You and me and the instructor,” I inform her. “Nobody else will be there, except maybe Mom and Dad if they want to watch.”

I see the weight immediately lift off of her as I paint the complete picture. “You’ll get to meet the teacher and decide what form of dance you want to learn.”

At this stage, Jesse has parked the car and he, too, has turned to look at her. All our focus is on the beating heart of this unconventional family.

Because that is what this is. It’s a family. I didn’t need extravagant words or displays of affection to know that I had been accepted by all of them.

They are mine, just as much as I’m theirs.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

jesse

NOW

The passenger door flies open.

“Sorry if I kept you waiting,” Leo huffs out as he climbs into the car. “So many people wanted to share stuff today and the timing went all over the place.”

“It’s okay,” I respond. “It happens.”

“I know, but I don’t want to be late to Dr. Sosa.”

His words and actions lately were a far cry from the man who refused to start therapy with me in the first place. And I’m still coming to terms with the change.

I’m not sure why I’m distancing myself, because every part of me, for so long, has been desperate to put us all back together, and now I feel like I’m the only thing stopping it.

“How was your day?” Leo asks.

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