Page 186 of I Can't Even Think Straight

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Sophia nudges in,

trying to occupy

the same spot

as her twin sister

in the glow of

Matt’s attention

and the golden

afternoon sun.

“I’m sorry, I don’t,”

Matt says honestly.

“Will you tell me?”

“I’m Olivia.”

Sophia lies convincingly.

“I’m Sophia.”

Olivia catches on instantly.

An expert liar himself,

I’m sure Matt knows

that he’s being lied to.

I wonder if he considers

playing along with them.

“Is that true?” he asks,

with the gravitas

of Pastor Matthew.

Both girls get the giggles.

They turn to each other

and laugh even harder:

an irrepressible joy bouncing

back and forth between them.

“Was Matt there

when you fell from the wall?”

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