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"Yeah, I guess it’s nice," Nate shrugs, lifting our bags from the back of their family van Nate’s father picked us up from the airport, which made it nice since there were three of us Nate pulls Ty’s chair from the back and unfolds it next to the van; I watch as Ty lifts hi it took before it was easy

"Your mom ordered pizza; I hope that’s okay," Nate’s father says as he pushes Ty’s chair up the sidewalk to the ramp at the side of the porch It’s the only time I’ve ever seen Ty not push hi, I shakenobody noticed

"It ood to do it sometimes," Nate whispers into my ear I just mouth oh and smile

Pizza was the perfect idea after our trip, and one fros to the bedrooivesrooiant stoned fireplace and a TV , wooden planks, and every wall is adorned with a collection of fas in the kitchen--signed by Nate’s mom, Cathy; I wonder if the others were done by friends

"I like these," I say, runningthe bottom of an ornately carved fra up behind me, her hand on my shoulder in a way that feels nice--like acceptance "I painted the to the ones I know are done by someone else

"Those," she starts, but pauses, her face sliding into a large s!" I’nize the signature now, and I’s are oils Abstracts, but full of color, the shapes alnizable, but always not quite--they remind me of drea to look at Ty who is lost in so out on the TV while he talks with his dad "My boys are full of surprises I’ they’re capable of yet" She watches hi a quick deep breath and turning her attention back to Nate and et you settled in your roo circle, with a hallway that starts and ends in the fa around to four bedrooiant trees that surround the back of the house My room is next to Nate’s, and I can’t help but wonder if he’ll sneak in to see ht I sit down on the full-size bed, and I can tell the lavender quilt ashed recently, the s in it

"This is lovely," I say, wondering where this sudden for fro the word lovely and holding his hands up to his face ide eyes I glare at hilad you like it here," she says, reaching aroundives to Nate as she leaves, like they have a silent conversation about me, but I look ahen Nate comes toward me

"Oh, Mrs Preeter, your home is si on his ridiculous, high-pitched girly voice

"Ohhim into my bed

He raises his hand and holds his thu an inch "You kinda do But just a little"

"Shut up I want your mom to like me And it’s really nice of your parents to havea little bad that hehtly

"I’ush And for the record,love you Just like I do," he says, his sme until we hear Ty clear his throat in the doorway

"Yeah, you can’t do that shit at the Thanksgiving table I’ll get sick," he says, pushing into the roo the corner of the blanket to his nose "Damn Mom actually washed your blanket Did she wash yours?"

Nate shrugs, and Ty backs out of the roo to Nate’s We follow him in there and he pulls Nate’s blanket to his nose then quickly tosses it back down "All right, this is bullshit! Mo dryer-sheet bed butto his mom within seconds