Page 122 of Nothing to Fear

“Do not tell her I’m getting undressed,” she said and stalled to catch her skirt. “She’ll think I brought you here for—”

“Sex? I’d be okay with that.”

“Savanna?” Alice’s voice stopped the ringing. “Oh, my dear, those boys—”

“It’s me, Mom.”

“Darroch?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about how my actions could upset everyone. There’s no excuse. I was insensitive.”

Alice sighed. “That girl is good for you, my sweet boy.”

He smiled at her. “I know it.”

“Did you make it up to her?”

“I plan to,” he said. “We’re staying at hers tonight.”

“Unless you want him home,” she interjected.

“Savanna, sweetheart,” Alice said, “his home is wherever you are, and his home belongs to you. I trust you to look after each other.” A second passed. “Darroch.”

“Yes, Mom,” he droned.

“I love you,” Alice said.

The line disconnected.

She went to retrieve the phone and plugged it into the nightstand charger. “She does that with all of you, when she says your name like that…”

“It’s her way of telling us to behave. She’s had too many teenage boys in her life to ever forget what we’re capable of.”

“Why are you all boys?” she asked, sliding off her skirt and shirt to put both in the laundry hamper.

“We identify that way and all have dicks, honey,” he said. “You know mine but will have to take my word for the other fifteen.”

He picked up the covers for her as she crawled into the bed next to him. “Why did your parents choose boys?”

“Boys are harder to adopt.” He tucked her in close and kissed her head. “Girls are more popular.”

“Would you ever do it?”

“Do what? Adopt?”

“You make a lot of jokes about family and what you want…” Twisting her head, she looked up at him. “Is a family what you want?”

“We have a family. We are family.”

“Your mom wants you to be happy. All of you. Sometimes I think…”

“What?” he prompted.

Her eyes met his again. “Sometimes it can feel like no matter what you do, it’s not enough.”

“You think she isn’t doing enough?”

“I’m in absolute awe of her, I think she’s the most incredible, inspiring person I’ve ever met.”

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