She made a second, larger sign.
Lucas became part of our lives gradually.
There was no magical instant when strangers became family.
He and Julian argued.
Elena and I navigated complicated boundaries.
There were painful conversations about Thomas.
I resented some of the secrets he had kept.
Elena resented the years she’d spent assuming distance was safer.
Lucas had memories of Thomas that Julian did not.
That was sometimes difficult.
One afternoon, Julian became unusually quiet after Lucas described a fishing trip he had taken with Thomas.
Later, I found Julian in his room restringing his guitar.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Try again.”
He tightened the string.
“Dad took Lucas fishing.”
“Yes.”
“He never took me.”
“You hated fishing.”
“I was six.”
“You hated fish.”
“I could’ve changed.”
I sat beside him.
“Are you jealous?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
He looked at me.
“You’re supposed to tell me not to be.”
