Ezra breathes out a laugh and shakes his head. “A lot more interested than I am. He asked me if I’ll start taking him to synagogue. I am not that Jew. I was a lot more involved when I was younger, but mostly because of my mom and Bubbe. As I got older, there were some things I wanted to keep, and some that just didn’t matter as much to me.”

“We all have to figure that stuff out for ourselves.” I slip my arm through the crook of his. “I still am half the time.”

“Mom is determined to get her a good Jewish boy even if she has to skip a generation. Remember how miserable we were on the weekends when we couldn’t play because of Shabbat?”

“Our mothers got sick of us, but we always complained when we couldn’t be together.”

“We always wanted to be together as kids.” He kisses my temple, pulling me in closer to his side. “Seems like not much has changed, huh? How do you think they’ll react to us?”

“I guess we’ll find out after it’s actually broken off with Aiko once and for all.”

There’s a loaded, stiffening silence. He pulls back and looks down at me.

“It already is broken off. It’s just a matter of telling Noah,” he says. “You know that, right? I’m not some guy trying to fool a side chick into being with me. I just have to do what’s best for Noah.”

“I believe you. I guess being up here in your room, in her space and seeing her life with you—I just realize you’ve been together a long time.”

“We have been and half that time it wasn’t working. We’ve put this off much longer than we should have. It was going to happen regardless of us, Tru. I promise you that.”

I see the truth in his eyes, but I also see the truth on these walls. It twists my insides to think I might have any part in breaking up a family.

“I better get going.” I make my smile extra bright, but he isn’t fooled.

“Kimba—”

“No, I just need to get home.”

He nods, obviously reluctant to let the subject go. Neither of us says much as we walk down the stairs and to the garage. I try to push aside the guilt… Is it guilt I’m feeling over Aiko? Why should I feel guilty? She’s screwing some guy in Tanzania. Ezra said this imminent break-up would have happened with or without me back in his life. I tell myself all those things, but when Ezra opens the door for me, and I climb into his Land Rover, I—

“Wait. You pushing a Rover?” I ask, surprise and amusement effectively squelching my conflicted inner monologue. “Well, look at you.”