Page 80 of Keeping the Score

“They’re so small though! And bats are important. They pollinate fruits and eat mosquitoes.”

Andi nods doubtfully.

“That’s why Batman chose the name Batman,” I say.

Mabel and Andi both turn big eyes on me.

“What? Why?” Andi says.

“Because most people are afraid of bats. He wanted his enemies to be afraid of him.”

“Whoa.” Mabel seems impressed. “I did not know that.”

“What weird conversation are you having over here?” Benny asks, walking around the counter and up to Mabel. He slides an arm around her waist and pulls her close with an affectionate smile. “Are you pestering them with weird questions?”

“Of course I am. But I’m learning things!”

“Amazing. I thought you knew everything.”

Mabel swats his chest gently at his teasing and they share a smile that’s so warm and devoted it gives me a pang in my chest.

“Okay!” Mabel claps her hands. “We’re going to play a game. For anyone who’s not watching football.”

“Oh, boy. What game?” Benny asks.

Mabel holds up her phone. “It’s called Head to Head. It’s an app. Sort of like charades, except we can talk. We split into teams, and one team holds the phone up to their forehead.” She demonstrates, the screen facing out. “And the app gives a phrase or a word or whatever. The other team has to give me clues so I can guess what it is.”

I exchange a look with Andi. She smiles and shrugs, apparently game.

“You can’t say the word, spell it out, or use a word that rhymes,” she adds. “Okay let’s make teams. I want Andi on my team.”

“Girls against guys?” Benny says dryly.

“No, that would not be fair to you guys,” Mabel says seriously, eliciting a rumble of protest from the men. She winks. “We’ll mix it up.”

We’re in teams of four—Andi, Mabel, Dilly and Crusher, versus me, Benny, Smitty, and his date, Bristol. Looks like maybe he’s over Nikki Sullivan, the pop star he had that crush on.

“Who wants to go first?” Mabel asks.

“You go,” we all say.

“Okay. There are different categories,” Mabel adds. “Let’s do Pop Culture. Okay. Gather around!” She starts the game and holds the phone up to her forehead.

We all crack up to see “ice skating.”

“What’s so funny?” She frowns.

“Hmmm. Can I act it out?” I ask.

“Yes!”

I start “skating,” swinging my arms and pushing out my feet.

She stares blankly at me.

“There are blades on his feet,” Benny says.

“Oh! Skating!”

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