Ben had a teasing, playful look. “You woke up.”

“Hey.”

“Be still. Nothing’s happening. I was just laying here.”

Ronny put his head against Ben’s shoulder and Ben held him there. Pretty soon Ben rolled onto his back and pulled Ronny on top of him. “You awake?”

“Yes. What time is it?”

“Three thirty.”

Ronny pulled himself up level to Ben’s face, his cheek against Ben’s. “You want me to do something?”

“Not right now. Pretty soon.” Ben murmured the words against his face, lips touching the skin. “I slept good.”

“I did, too. I didn’t think I would.”

“I need to go pretty soon. I won’t get so many questions as long as I get in the room tonight.”

“What are you going to tell them?”

“I went to Greensboro to see my sister. Same thing I told Jennifer I had to do.”

“That’s Nina, right? Your sister?”

“Yeah. She’s not out of school yet, either. Helps that she doesn’t have a phone so Jen can’t call over there.”

“Not that I need to know what your cover story is.”

“I wish I was coming to summer school now. It would be easier to see you.”

“I can wait.”

“What if I don’t want to wait?”

Ronny kissed Ben’s mouth, kissed it again. He had never really expected this from Ben, it was almost the best part. Ben closed his eyes and reached for Ronny’s hair.

“How’s your mom?” Ronny asked.

A heaviness came into Ben’s voice. “She’s starting her treatments. She says they’re pretty horrible.”

“I’m sorry. She’s a nice lady.”

“She still likes I’m hanging out with somebody who studies. She never liked me playing.” He was about to say “football.” Something shut him down at that point and he stopped talking and they lay there together. A wind was blowing the tree limb that hung over the roof of the porch, faster now. “Thanks for asking.”

“You scared? For her?”

“I’m more scared for me. I should be scared for her.” Ben rubbed his heavy hand in Ronny’s hair, roughed it. When he talked about his mom, his voice had a calmer quality, and he shed the need for sarcasm. “The doctor says she’s got a good chance. She’s a tough lady.”

“She’s seeing the doctors at Duke, right? They’re supposed to be really good.”

“She had it diagnosed there but she’s getting chemotherapy closer to home. She’s got this really good Korean doctor. She says she can’t understand much of what he says but he’s got good nurses and they help her understand what’s going on.”

“Tell her I said hello.”

“I will. I’m not leaving for another couple of days. I got an exam tomorrow and my last one the next day.”

“You’re kidding. Jesus, why didn’t you say so?”

“It’s Portuguese. All I have to do is show up.” He was stroking Ronny’s hair. A rare kind of peace in Ben’s body. “How come you can ask me stuff like this and I know how to answer?”