Katherine Center

Thank you so much.”

“What are you thanking me for?” I asked.

But Jack just shook his head in amazement. “I did not expect to laugh today.”

She squeezed, and I squeezed back. “Finally. Someone real,” she said then.

And suddenly, I knew what to do with my face. I smiled.

“Yes,” Connie said, looking over at Jack. “I like this one already.”

But,” he went on, “you still get the bed.”

“I really don’t want it,” I said.

“Neither do I.”

“Fine. We’ll both sleep on the floor.”

Jack studied me like I was odd. “Are you saying that even if I sleep on the floor, you’ll also sleep on the floor?”

This might be my only area of autonomy for a month. “Yes,”

She’s the epitome of ordinary.”

Wow. Okay.

“But she’s mine,” Jack said then. “And she’s staying.”

“I can walk. I’m fine.”

“I like carrying you. I might start doing it all the time.”

“And don’t leave your toothpaste cap off, either,” I said. “What are you, five years old?”

“It’s my bathroom,” he said.

“It’s our bathroom now.”

was still laughing. “I never laugh. I haven’t laughed in years.”

“You’re laughing right now.”

Jack sat up at that, as if he hadn’t noticed.

The irony. Telling him he was laughing finally got him to stop laughing.

“I guess I am,” he said, seeming to marvel at the idea. “Huh.”

“You laugh constantly,” I said, amazed that he didn’t know this about himself. “You laugh at everything.”

“Mostly at you, though,” he said.

I gave him a look, like Thanks.

Jack started laughing again.

“See?” I said. “You’re laughing again.”

“See?” Jack said, like it was my fault. “You’re hilarious.”

I pushed out a sigh and lifted my foot into his hands. “Why is you bwok-ing like a chicken working on me? Why does everything you do work on me?”