“Really?” I squeaked out, a sudden lump in my throat.

He nodded. “The best.”

“Well, good luck getting me to shut up now!” I said as I threw my arms around him for a hug that maybe I needed as much as he did.

Twenty-Six

When we got to my place, I led Oren inside the side door and listened. The voices I heard were low, but I could tell they were all upstairs in the living room.

“Why don’t you go wash your face?” I suggested to Oren.

He nodded and kicked off his sneakers before he started toward the bathroom.

I went the other way into the living room. All three of them, Mom, Dad and Jared, stared at me.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Oren wasn’t behind me before I said, “He’ll be here in a second. I apologized, and we’re good.”

“He’s okay?” Jared asked, and then added, “I mean, as okay as he can be?”

“I…I think so. But, um…” I stumbled, not sure what to say.

Then I didn’t have to say anything, because Jared’s eyes moved to behind me.

He stood up. “Oren?”

Half a second later Oren rushed past me and threw himself into his uncle’s arms.

He was crying, but I heard him mutter, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” over and over into his uncle’s shirt. And then he added a warbly, “I love you.” Mom and Dad looked at me, shocked to hear Oren speaking.

Jared’s face crumpled as he held Oren tight. Like he never wanted to let him go. It was exactly what Oren needed too. He clung to his uncle like his life depended on it. Maybe it did.

When the sobs subsided, he held Oren away and looked down at him. “You do not have to apologize, Oren. You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. I’m sorry that I haven’t been what you need. I just hope that…” He trailed off as he started to really lose it too.

Oren hiccupped and took a bunch of breaths, trying to calm himself. It was funny how now that he wanted to talk, he couldn’t.

“Evie,” my dad said, his hand on my shoulder. I wasn’t even sure when he’d stood up—I’d been so focused on my friend and his uncle. “Let’s go get started on dinner.”

My parents and I quietly left the room, leaving Oren and his uncle to talk.

Once we were in the kitchen, Mom and Dad basically cornered me between the fridge and the cupboards. The only escape would have been into the broom closet behind me.

“What happened?” Dad asked softly.

“Nothing,” I said with a shrug. “We just sort of talked some stuff out.”

“He’s speaking now?” Mom asked, flicking her eyes toward the living room.

“I guess so.” I didn’t want to tell them what he’d told me about the accident because it was private. Maybe he’d tell his uncle, but that was up to him.

Mom and Dad tried to stare it out of me until I began to fidget. “What are we having for dinner?” I asked, trying to change the subject.