All three sisters swung into action. Christine picked out a shirt, I found a decent pair of pants. Johnny disappeared into the tiny bathroom and came out dressed. Carol gelled his hair. Johnny must have stopped for a haircut on the way home from work, because I was happy to see that a man bun was no longer a possibility. I thought I could still smell the faint scent of patchouli, but maybe the scent had just lodged itself in the trailer, or in my memory banks.

Johnny did a slow turn so we could make sure he looked okay. We all gave him two thumbs up.

“Ohmigod,” Christine said. “Do you remember in high school when all the boys used to stand in front of the library and rate the girls as they walked by?”

“I remember,” Carol said. “That was so demoralizing.”

“Me, too,” I said. I looked right at my brother. “You gave me a minus eleven one time. My own brother.”

“Hey,” Johnny said. “I was just trying to survive. We all were.”

“Survive this,” I said as I flashed my brother the bird.

He flashed me the same finger.

“Trying to survive is no excuse,” I said. “You should have been on my side, and you weren’t.”

“Listen,” Johnny said. “I get that you’re having some sort of decades delayed breakthrough or something, but all I want to do is work things out with Kim. So back off, okay?”

“You back off,” I said.

“Kids, kids, kids,” Carol said. “Okay, how did Kim sound when you talked to her?”

“Me?” Johnny said.

Carol blew out a puff of air. “Well, I hope somebody else didn’t call her for you. Remember when you made me ask out that girl for you in eighth grade?”

“I didn’t call her,” Johnny said softly. “I texted.”

“How romantic,” Carol said.

“Do you think you guys could come with me?” Johnny said. “Maybe sit outside in the car for moral support?”

“I’ll do it,” Christine said. “After all, I was supposed to be the one helping you get ready, and these two butted right in. No offense.”

“None taken,” Carol said. “I’ll even let you ride in my minivan.”

“Shotgun,” Johnny said.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Carol crunched over the crushed mussel shells as she backed her minivan out of our old/my new driveway.

“Swing by Mikey’s house and pick him up, okay?” Johnny said.

“Seriously?” Carol said.

“Yeah,” Johnny said. “I texted him earlier. I figured he’d be a good person to have with us. He’s been through it, ya know?”

“I’ve been through it, too,” I said.

Johnny twisted around in the front seat so he could look at me. “Yeah, but it worked out for him.”