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He’s crouched on the other side of the sofa, waiting for soer sister is hurt Elsie sobs and sobs in my ear like someone ripped off her aro upstairs, crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head, but that isn’t an option At the nated parent

"Zac" Even I detect the exhaustion in my tone

He stands and looks like a puppy someone hit with a rolled-up newspaper I should ask what happened I should tell him he has to play more carefully with our sister I should tell him he knows better than to have that plastic sword in the living roo they have to a parent, but I’ht now seventeen-year-old o upstairs and start baths," I say

With his head hanging, Zac trudges up the stairs in silence Middle-school-demon Paul watches me ide eyes from his spot on the couch I very ame on the TV He didn’t listen to me He didn’t take a shower He didn’t even attes or help Elsie when she fell

A cell vibrates and I turn to see Addison offering me a face full of sympathy "My dad wants me home"

She lives a block away I nod and she slips into the kitchen The outside door shuts and Elsie wipes her snotty nose on lass to clean up, a boo-boo to kiss and bedtie to take out and a socialerly step over the broken vase and ask a hollow question "Can you at least pick up the broken glass, Paul?"

He doesn’t say yes He doesn’t say no I’ to do it anyway because he cares or feels guilty I’ll accept either as an excuse

RAZOR

OZ AND I mount our motorcycles at the same time, but I block his path forith my bike "You’re not on this"

"Last I checked, you don’t call the shots" Oz revs his motor

"You’re not allowed near the Riot" This suun at the president of the Riot Motorcycle Club and it appears our unsteady peace treaty with the coo Fat Man and Little Boy, and I’m ready for this fallout

"Last I heard," Oz retorts, "neither are you Only board members are allowed to approach"