WHEN HE FINALLY KNEW.

e music was low, more background than anything else. The world outside the window blurred into streaks of m

nd me of

t off before it co

long shadows across the pavement, and the final stragglers of parents were eithe

d me with a nod. "He's just insi

d, walking thro

, his crayon gripped tightly as he worked on something full o

es lighting up like they

, crouching down besi

de!" He held up the pap

n surrounded by stars. A litt

have to tell me all ab

As we stepped outside, he slipped his small hand into

ve a good d

ped Lila clean up after art. And Miss G

math? That

me, pride glow

the man in the window always waved at Elvis. We didn't stop to

s with his jacket. He ran off to his room, already talking t

skin felt tight and itchy from the city's grime and the nerves o

didn't even know were tense. I leaned my forehead against the cool tiles, letting everyt

rom the heat. I tied my hair up, threw on a big shirt and went into

ese. Bread. A tomato

ttes

tomato, grated the cheese. Elvis popped his head int

id hom

t, baby

show her

to love it,

Elvis and one for Enid. I poured a glass of water for each of us and turned

front door

Enid called out, droppi

rfect timing.

ds were a little frizzy around the edges, and her face held that fam

called. "Wh

ack from the dining ta

w." She gave him a kiss on the forehead, then turned t

I feel li

hroom, and came out ten minutes later

luding what each of his classmates did wrong during gym class an

etween bites. "Just don't put the l

d he nearly snorted

od. It fel

hout too much fuss. By 9:02, he was asleep in his bed, mouth slightly

ught two mugs of chamomile tea into the living room and handed one to Enid,

ng on her tea. "Spill. You

g sip. "It w

or

entation was for Dy

shot up. "As i

y spilled my coffee on

fell ope

d like it had something to prove. Righ

hard she had to

ling despite myself. "I th

ut

e asked questions. Hard on

, proud. "Th

actually get the

whistle. "Damn. T

kno

at a thread on my blanket, staring

tense?" Enid

"Yeah. That

. "Tall, dark, and em

ble part. But he definitely looked at me lik

ea. "He said you

n't recognize me quickly or

flip when he was like

inst the couch. "Sounds like

at kind of impre

stretched.

his time. "You've been pushing so hard. Raisi

rying to ge

u a

st. Gratitude, maybe. Or exhaus

moving too fast. Like, what if I blow

said in your pitch. Own th

ly. "You make

But you're

shoulder, and she rest

he city never stopped, but in our li

at something wasn't quite surface-level with him. Maybe it was not

ht stretched ahead,

g that today had shifted someth