Ed said, “What the hell is going on?”

“Why are you looking at me?” Ann said.

“Oh, Ann,” Connie said, as if she’d been frustrated with Ann a million times before. Mother and daughter were nothing alike—or as Connie would say, their energy was different. Ann liked to stir things up; Connie liked to smooth them over.

“He’s embarrassed because he can’t swim,” Poppy said.

“I told him it was no big deal and it totally isn’t.” Ann spoke about Michael the way the counselors and social workers did, like he wasn’t even standing right there in front of them, covered in sweat.

Ed put his large hand on Michael’s damp back. Michael tried to step away, but Ed pulled him into a tight embrace. This threw Michael off, because Ed rarely touched him; he said he respected his “borders.” Michael could see that holding back was hard for Ed, who was affectionate and open. But now, he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Don’t you know we don’t care that you can’t swim?” Ed’s voice broke.

Michael freed himself and took a few steps back. He was in the center of the circle. All eyes were on him. He felt trapped.

Ann looked at Ed. “Can we tell him, Dad?”

“Now?” Ed said. “I thought we were going to wait.”

“Please?”

“Tell him what?” Poppy asked.

Michael braced himself: they were about to tell him he’d have to turn around and leave. He knew it, he just knew it.

Ed looked straight into Michael’s eyes, serious. “We’re thinking we’d like to adopt you, Michael.”

Poppy put her hand over her mouth and gasped. “Seriously?”

Ann said, “Isn’t it great?”

“Yes, but…”

“But what?” Ann said.

“Nobody ever tells me anything.”

“What’s your problem?” Ann said. “We knew you’d be OK with it. We all love Michael.”

The word “love” threw Michael even more off balance. “You want to what?” Michael asked. He’d once seen a bird fly into a window at school—this was the same kind of shock, of not knowing that plate of glass was right there, right in front of you.

“Only if that’s what you want,” Connie said. “Nobody is forcing you to do anything.”

“We started the paperwork, that’s all,” Ed said. “When we get back to Milwaukee in the fall, if you’re game, we can make it official.”

Connie smiled dreamily. “Don’t you feel we’re already related? The first time you walked through the door I felt we’d been together in a past life.”

Michael didn’t believe them. This couldn’t be real. Past life? They were high.

Ann said, “It was so hard for me not to say anything. It was my idea.”

“Everything is Ann’s idea,” Poppy said. She looked almost as stunned as Michael felt.

“Aren’t I too old to be adopted?”