“Then let’s head this fiasco with his mom off at the pass so you can focus on staying satisfied.” She smiles and gives me a rare squeeze. “And happy. I’d like to see you happy.”
I think about all the things I have to wade through before I can get to happy. This biography. The situation with Aiko. My damn ovaries.
I want to be your last.
The memory of Ezra’s words soften all the tense, tight parts of me. The road to happy looks long and rough right now, but he makes me want to try.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ezra
“Mom, we need to talk.”
“Ezra, hi. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Did you get my message last night?”
“Message? Where’d you leave it?”
“On the home phone. Your cell voicemail is full.”
“Oh, you know I never check either of those, honey.”
“That might explain why it’s full. My message said we need to speak urgently.”
“Is everything okay with Noah?” Concern spikes her voice an octave. “I checked in on him yesterday and—”
“The point of Noah gaining more independence at camp is to not check on him every day, Mom. I hope you haven’t been long-distance smothering.”
Because I’ve experienced that firsthand.
“Me? Smother? Of course not. He did happen to mention on one of our few calls that you don’t have any mezuzahs in the house.”
This turn of conversation has nothing to do with why I called or anything I’ve even considered. Ever. “Mezuzahs?”
“You grew up with them in our house, Ezra.”
“Of course I did, but—”
“And yet when I asked Noah if he had one hanging on his door, he said no.”
“Mom, how about you bring some with you when you bring Noah back and hang them on any door you see fit. Sound good?”
“Well, it’s your house, of course. It’s up to you.”
Is extreme patience a sport?
“Can we get back to the reason I called? It’s important.”
“Oh, yes. Sorry. What do you need?”
“The truth.”
“Ezra, don’t be mysterious. The truth about what?”
“Did you have an affair with Joseph Allen?”
Shock reverberates in the silence that falls between us over the miles.