Page 88 of The Fix-Up

“Oliver,” I groaned. “That’s not how these things happen.”

His little forehead scrunched in confusion. “How does it happen then?”

“How does what happen?”

“Getting a baby brother?”

“No, sir, we are not talking about where baby brothers come from.” I pointed at the clock. “We have twelve minutes to get ready now. That conversation will require a lot more time and visual aids and…and…Just not now. Go get your shoes on and wait for me.”

Shoulders slumped, he hung his head and nodded. “Okay.”

I hated to see him so sad even though there was a dang good reason for it. With a sigh, I looped my arms around him and gave him a squeeze. “I love you, you know that. But there will be consequences for this.”

He buried his face in my stomach. “I know.”

After kissing the top of his head, I shooed him out of the room.

“A baby brother?” Gil asked.

He was all rumpled and messy and unshaven and he looked good that way, too. I glared at him.

“That was not supposed to happen again, remember? We are not people who cuddle. Especially in front Oliver. Oliver’s already gotten too close to you. He’ll be devastated when he finds out his new favorite person wants to sell the only home he’s known and walk on out of his life, on top of it.” My hand curled into a fist. I was getting real worked up now. “Do you get it, Gilbert? That kid does not deserve to have his heart broken.”

Me neither, I thought but I didn’t say that out loud. Because with a sudden clarity that bordered on painful, I realized Gil could break my heart. I was so tired of my heart getting broken.

He stood, still looking far too rumpled and sleepy. With a groan, he gripped his hair and gave it a tug. “Can we just sit for a second and talk?”

“No,” I snapped. “I have eight minutes to get to work.”

I stomped out of the room without a backwards glance.

THIRTY-FIVE

[Love is…] everything. Without love there would be no goodness inside you.

Love is the strongest thing you have.

—DOTTIE R., AGE 6

I stewed in my feelings all day. And not the healthy stewing that Sunny would have approved of.

Jorge noticed.

Iris noticed.

Several customers noticed.

Ali and Mae definitely noticed because, of course, they’d picked today to come for lunch.

“What do you think peed in Ellie’s coffee today?” Ali whisper-yelled to Mae, the two of them at a table in the middle of the café. Kind of rude, if you ask me. Especially since I was standing right in front of her.

We’d just closed for the day, and they’d decided to make themselves comfortable despite that.

“Or who,” Mae said, taking a break from inhaling her bowl of chili.

“Good point.” Ali tapped her chin. “Whoever could it be?”

I scowled. “Do you want anything else?”

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