Hank pinned him down to the floor. “Whaddaya think your mama’s gonna say to you, huh? Welcome back, sonny boy? That what you think she’s gonna say? Whaddaya think the rabbaim are gonna say? Know what they’re gonna do? They are gonna lay this…this biggest guilt trip on your head. They’re gonna tell you what a rotten kid you are and how you fucked up for life for doing such a terrible thing to your parents. Then everybody in the whole community is gonna stare at you like you’re some freak. The girls are gonna laugh at you. ‘There goes weirdobrain No-am. What a jerk! What a freak!’ And the boys—they ain’t gonna be no better. They’ll be laughin’ just as hard. No one will talk to you. Everyone’ll treat you like you got boils on your face. Like you’re nothin’ but a disease. You’re gonna be one big embarrassment to your whole family.”

He jerked Noam up by the arms and pushed him to the door. “So go, if that’s what you want. Go ahead, hotshot! Go! GO!”

Noam burst into tears, letting out huge gulps of sorrow. Hank pulled the teenager into his arms and rocked him.

“Hey, guy,” Hank said. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Noam sobbed on Hank’s shoulder.

Hank said, “I know how you feel. And maybe I don’t got enough patience all the time. But let me tell you this, Nick-O. You’re my buddy. You can trust me. Hey, everything you’re feelin’…they crapped on me too, man. My parents. The rabbis givin’ me nothin’ but grief. I know the scene ’cause I’ve been there. Shit, all of them loonies. Only one who was ever nice was my zeyde.”

Noam stopped crying and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

“My bubbe’s nice,” Noam said.

“Yeah, but she’s probably an old lady by now,” Hank said. “How long you think she’s gonna last? Then she croaks and you’re all alone again. Believe me, I know.”

Noam didn’t know. Bubbe didn’t seem sickly, but she was old. He used to talk to her all the time. But then his brothers teased him about talking to her so he stopped. And when he stopped talking, so did she.

“You think I brought you out here to jump fags?” Hank said. “Hey, this is only temporary. Insurance is still dickin’ around with my money. But I’ll get it. And then you and me can live in style. But we need some bread now, man. You gotta help me. We’re in this together, you know.”

Noam nodded.

“Hey, that’s what I like to see,” Hank said. “We’re like brothers, know what I mean?”