“Hi,” I said with a little wave, thankful that he didn’t look like he was about to bolt. “I…uh, I’m not following you or anything. I’m just here with my dad. He’s having a meeting.” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder at the little house.

Oren didn’t respond or even nod. Instead he looked back down at the ground. Was he praying for me to go away?

I stared down too, focusing on the strips of new green sod that the groundskeepers had laid over the new graves. Even though they were covered up, I knew Oren’s parents were underneath the grass. Obviously, Oren did too.

“Is your uncle here?” I asked, looking around but not seeing anyone.

Eyes still trained on the ground, Oren shook his head.

I wanted to hug him, but figured he’d probably hate that. So I stepped forward and offered him the packet of tissues I had in my pocket. I held my breath as I waited for his reaction. He looked at my hand for a second before he nodded and took them from me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He stared up at me like he couldn’t believe what I’d just asked.

I replayed it in my mind.

OMG, Evie! Why would you ask that? He’s at a cemetery looking at his parents’ graves. Of course, he’s not okay! He might never be okay!

“I mean…” I had to fight tears, wishing I had a time machine for my mouth. Why did I always say the exact wrong thing? “Shoot. I mean…um…do you like ice cream?”

He looked shocked.

“Ice cream,” I repeated and took a deep breath to stop the tears. “Do you like it?”

He didn’t answer right away. I noticed that his face looked a lot better than when I’d first met him. The bruises under his eyes were almost gone. Now they were sort of a pale yellowish green. And the cut down his right cheek looked a lot less…Frankensteiny. Not that I was going to tell him that. But I was glad he was healing. His arm in the cast looked the same, but I hoped it was getting better inside too.

Finally he nodded. It would have been so awesome to hear him actually say “yes,” but at least he was communicating.

I looked over my shoulder just in time to see Dad coming out of the house. “My dad and I are going for ice cream, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind at all if you came with us.”

Oren glanced over toward the house and then at me. He shrugged and nodded.

Yes! “Awesome,” I said. “Come on!”

He glanced back at the graves.

“I mean, if you’re done here,” I added, trying to sound more serious again, like I did when I was at the funeral home.

He started walking with me toward the car, so I guessed that was his answer.

“Hey, Dad,” I said as we approached. “Is it okay if Oren comes with us for ice cream?”