Page 75 of The Story of You

“He’s first.”

“No. Yes. I mean, for some things, Silas. He has to be.”

Silas.I don’t like it when he calls me that anymore.

I envision dropping Julius into an acid bath for one sweet moment and then I let it go. “I understand. Don’t fret about it.”

“It’s like when you need to put Lakshan first because he’s your husband. Like that.”

I don’t know how to answer him. I should put Lakshan before Oliver at times, but I don’t, and I never will. Oliver will feel guilty about it if I answer honestly. He’ll also know if I’m lying. “You’re always first. You always will be. But I am your parent. That’s how it’s supposed to go. You’re supposed to find a partner and leave the nest at some point.”

“That’s a lot of ‘supposed toos’, Silas.”

“I can live with the first one. I don’t know how to do the second yet.”

“You won’t have to. I’m not leaving.”

“Someday you’ll want to. You’ll do the same thing you did yesterday and use my own logic against me. Then I’ll have no choice.”

He pulls away, a sly smile across his lips. “This is your fault then.”

I nod.

“So, fix it. You’re supposed to tell me I’m not to throw tantrums and storm out of the house. That you’ll do whatever it takes to ensure my safety.”

“The latter goes without saying,” I promise him, wiping away his tears with my thumb.

“And the former?”

“I wasn’t pleased, and I wanted to drag you back.”

“Hasn’t Lakshan already punished you for not doing the things you want to do because you’re doing what you think you’resupposedto do?”

Ah. Lakshan has rubbed off on him. A lot. I wondered about that. “You’re grounded.”

He raises his brows. “For my birthday?”

I shrug. “Don’t misbehave before your birthday.”

“There you are. Now, please, stop it, Silas. I can handle the Terminator version of you, but not the sad Eeyore version.”

“Eeyore? How did I go from bad-ass time-traveling robot to depressed stuffed donkey? Your analogies don’t make any sense.”

“They make all the sense.” He dances away from me, picking up the book he left on the counter and setting himself up at the table with it. “I’m hungry. I could use a snack and something to drink.”

“I’m going to spank you.”

“There you go. Nearly perfect Silas. Nine out of ten.”

“Nine?”

“Real Silas would have done it by now.”

I roll my eyes. “Which part are you at?”

“The lady with the cinnamon buns. I think she’s going to be key in finding Darius.”

“Darius is found. He’s at Simon and Shane’s,” I say, with full amusement playing on my face as I do fix him a snack. He almost cut his finger off the last time he tried.