Before that, he’d installed Mac’s giant, human-sized doggy door in the kitchen while I’d sat next to him watching. My job had mainly consisted of handing him screws, tools, and his bottle of beer.

“Diana,” my mom called out from the kitchen as my dad and I maneuvered my flat screen on to the entertainment system he had just finished building with my assistance. “He’s going to be okay,” I answered, fully aware that was a partial lie, but what else could I say? I hope he doesn’t die from internal bleeding, Lou? No. He nodded against my mouth, already a mostly limp weight. “I went to make sure the neighbor was okay. I didn’t want to think about it too much or anticipate it, because I was sure I’d end up locking myself in the bathroom with a bottle of wine, snotting everywhere.īouncing him in my arms, I pecked his temple.

He was getting bigger every day, and it was only a matter of time before he said he was too old to be carried. I opened the screen door fully and bent to pick him up. “I didn’t know where you went, Buttercup,” he explained innocently, pushing the door open as he used his nickname for me.Īnd just like that, my irritation at him for staying up crumbled into a thousand pieces. Not for the first time, I remembered my parents had never complained to him about how he needed to stop saying certain words in front of the kids. My brother had thrown around the word “fuck” like it was the name of his imaginary third kid. The smile that came over his face said he knew exactly what I’d been on the verge of saying, and I wasn’t surprised.

“Lou? What the fu-dge are you doing?” I snapped, raising my hands at my sides. As I made it to my lawn, I zeroed in on a short, skinny figure standing behind the screen front door in just a T-shirt that was a size too small and underwear, his hands were on his hips.

I picked up Josh’s bat off the lawn and crossed the street, wondering what the hell that had all been about but knowing my chances of finding out were slim to none. The adrenaline pumping through me had disappeared, and I was tired. I just hoped it didn’t come back to bite me in the ass. That had been uncomfortable and not something I’d want to go through again. Before either one of them responded, and later on I realized I hadn’t learned anyone’s name, I was out the door and walking across the street, going home. “All right, well, bye and good luck,” I said.

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