Page 40 of Here and Now
I laugh and pull her against me, kissing the top of her head. “Nomatter how old we get, Weezy, you’ll always be my favorite person to annoy.”
She pushes away from me and shudders. “You’re gross.”
“You love me.”
“Because I have no choice. We shared a womb.”
“You’re welcome for not ingesting you and allowing you to be the mole on my ass.”
Eloise makes a gagging noise. “I swear, you need a priest or a therapist. Maybe both.”
Ethan and Kai come running over. “Can I go with Uncle Miles?” Ethan asks my sister.
“Not this time.”
We say goodbye and I get Kai in the car. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
We head from the Ember Falls Recreation Area up and over to Main Street, where Prose & Perk is located. It’s no more than a ten-minute drive.
“So how are you liking Ember Falls?”
“I love it here! I hope we get to stay. Ethan is my new friend and I like Joe too. Kyle is kind of weird, but today he was nice.”
I let out a short laugh. “He’s got six older brothers who like to give him crap. He’s usually the lowest man on the list and is trying to see if he can outrank someone. Don’t take it to heart.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Did you play hockey where you lived before?”
Kai shakes his head. “Nope. I skated with Uncle Quinn once, but I didn’t play. I like to watch it, though. Mom will make popcorn and let me stay up when her favorite team is on.”
“Yeah? Who is her favorite team?”
“The Red Wings.”
I can get with that. “I like them too.”
“Who is your favorite?”
“I loved the Devils. My gran is from New Jersey, and she made sure we loved all her teams. Do you like football?”
He shakes his head. “We only like hockey.”
“I see, well, it is the best sport. Other than Ultimate Frisbee. That’s one that everyone would love if they ever got to see it.”
Kai looks slightly confused but doesn’t say anything. Which I’m grateful for, since my sister and Doug have no shortage of commentary regarding my new sport.
We pull up in front of Prose & Perk, and Kai and I head in. He’s telling me about his new room and how he really wants to put a gaming system in there, but his mom said no.
“You’re here.” Penelope lets out a long sigh of relief as she comes around the counter. “I wasn’t worried or anything.”
“Of course you weren’t,” I say with a grin.
She smiles back at me and then pulls Kai to her chest. “Why don’t you go in the back room, put the TV on, and I’ll get some food for you.”
He looks crestfallen and I feel bad. It can’t be a fun way to spend your summer, cooped up in the back room of a coffee shop. “Do I have to?” he asks.
