Page 41 of The Enforcer

“November.”

“Mine’s in December.”

The two of them sat there in shock for one long moment before Tino pointed out, “That is fucked-up.”

“We’re like twins,” Carina decided, ignoring that their father knocked up their mothers at almost the same time. “Cosmic twins.”

“This is freaky.” Tino was still trying to wrap his mind around having a sister he didn’t know about.

Who looked like Nova.

And was only a month younger than him.

“I should decorate your cast,” Carina announced as she reached into her box of supplies and pulled out a handful of pens. “I grabbed metallic, so they’ll show up on the black. I wonder what would happen if we put temporary tattoos on it. You think we could get them to stick? Would you let me try?”

“Sure. I got no friends here. The only one who’s signing it is you, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Carina pulled out a big plastic container of temporary tattoos. “Two thousand.” She held it out to Tino. “My record is five hundred.”

Tino took the container, seeing that they were all butterflies and flowers. “Record for what?”

“Most tattoos at one time.”

“You put five hundred tattoos on at one time?” Tino laughed, his eyes wide. “No wonder your ma hates them.”

“Sarah Rapoli dared me once in second grade. I had a whole pack. She said I wouldn’t do it.” Carina gave him a smug smile. “I did it.”

“You got stugots,” Tino whispered, remembering his father saying it outside.

“Gross.” Carina uncapped a shiny pink pen. “You sure I can decorate it? Any way I want?”

“What do I care?” Tino shrugged. “Basically stuck in the house for eight weeks anyway. Do your worst.”

“You got it.” Carina leaned down to draw a big pink flower on his cast.

* * * *

The problem was, there was no television in this room.

Nova was missing in action.

Carina’s mother was clearly too drunk to notice she was gone.

Their father didn’t give a shit…about either of them.

And they had a box of two thousand temporary tattoos.

When Nova finally decided to show back up, he just paused at the open door, looking to where they were sitting, now surrounded by hundreds of strips of paper, wet towels, and bowls of water.

Carina pulled back the paper she’d been pressing against her forehead and then whispered to Tino, “Is he gonna freak out?”

Tino nodded. “Probably.”

“He dared me,” Carina offered to Nova, as if hoping he spoke the same language they did.

“And she had a record to break,” Tino added, though he knew Nova didn’t speak their language at all.

Nova still hadn’t moved, hadn’t closed the door, but he did put a hand to his mouth as he stood there staring at them.