Page 41 of Crying Shame

I opened the sliding door at the back of the house for her. “I think Sam and Aurora might turn out to be best friends.”

Arman’s daughter struck me as a curious kid. I only said, “That’s good.”

We returned to the family party where my mother had clearly forced Cyrus and his wife into showing everyone their new dance routine. We stayed in the back and watched.

“Where is Aurora going to school?” Clarissa asked.

Cyrus and Rachel twirled past us, and I glimpsed pure bliss on my brother's face.

Hopefully, one day I’d know what that felt like.

“She goes to school in Manhattan. Do you want to move to my place in the city?”

Her nose wrinkled. “No, we need roots. I don't want to move for a while, but if Sam and Aurora stay friends, we might need to visit more often.”

“That would be nice.” I kept holding her hand.

“I like Sam having a cousin as a friend. It means he’s less alone.”

I whispered, “And you?”

She shrugged. “Well, I’m here, so that’s all we’ll say about that.”

She had no idea how she took my breath away. Clarissa was the sweetest woman I’d ever met and would ever meet. She made me happy simply by existing, even when we were doing nothing at all.

15

Elon

The party had moved to the beach where my family was enjoying a small bonfire on our private beach and talking.

It was almost midnight.

Clarissa had headed into the house, and somehow I’d missed her. Our son slept beside me on a beach lounger.

When she returned to the beach, she squeezed my arm. “Ready to head home?”

I stood, and my heart was full just from being near her. She kissed our son’s head. “Can you help me with Sam?”

"Absolutely," I said. Sam weighed over fifty pounds. I steadied myself, picked him up, and held him against my chest.

“Sam and Aurora had so much fun chasing fireflies together,” she said.

We were ready to go. I waved to my parents, and Clarissa, Sam, and I returned to the helicopter.

Today was a good day.

I rubbed Sam's back as we walked, though a staff member helped me buckle him into his seat that pushed back into a bed.

Clarissa covered him with a blanket, and a few minutes later, we were all settled in our seats as the helicopter took off.

She clutched my arm and held Sam with her other hand like she’d save him from danger if something went wrong at liftoff.

Soon we were in the air, and she relaxed.

Servers offered champagne, and we both took it. When we were alone, I said, “So everyone remembers you.”

She put her drink beside her and took off her shoes and massaged the sides of her feet. “Your mother and father are even kinder than I remember.”