"You can handle it," he said. "So, what are you up to?"
I told him I was preparing dinner for myself and Karen, and he asked after her.
"She have a boyfriend yet?" he wanted to know. "No. She doesn't like any of the boys at school. They're all dorks."
"I don't see how they can all be dorks, but that's okay. Karen probably needs an older guy," he said. "She's too sophisticated for the boys there."
Did my brother think he would become Karen's boyfriend someday? Wasn't she too young for him? What about the girls at his college?
"What about you? Did you find a new girlfriend?"
"I'm working on it," he said. "Am I still the best- looking guy you know?"
"No, you're the best-looking guy you know," I said, and he laughed.
I suddenly missed him more than ever. I longed to hear him strutting through our home, whistling or calling out something silly to me. Occasionally, he and I would have a very serious conversation about other kids we knew or plans we had for ourselves. There were nearly four years between us, but I couldn't remember him ever treating me like an annoying young sister. Somewhere I once read that it was usually in houses where,, there was a great deal of turmoil and conflict between parents that there were animosities between the children as well. I remembered the line, "The table was set for misery to flourish." That table's not set in our house, I thought.
"What are you doing for fun these days?" Jesse asked.
"Nothing special. Karen and I do a lot together."
"Be careful."
"Of what?" I asked quickly. He made my heart thump.
"Of getting a crush on the same boy. Nothing breaks up a friendship between two girls faster."
"What makes you such an expert about girls?"
"Male instinct. Why, is something like that happening?"
"No worries there. I told you, Karen doesn't like anyone at our school."
"I can't believe it. Karen likes boys, doesn't she?" "Of course."
Why was he pushing so hard to find out about her crushes?
"And you do, I think"
"Stop it, Jesse."
"All right," he said, laughing. "I got to go. Tell Mom and Dad I'll call on Sunday. I'm starting on third base, too," he added, as if it was nothing
"Wow. Daddy will be excited."
"You're not?"
"Stop it, Jesse. Of course, I am." After a long enough pause, to kid him back, I asked, "What's third base?"
He laughed. "Bye, Zipper," he said. That had been his nickname for me as long as I could
remember. "Bye."
I hung up but stood there by the phone as if I could still hold on to his voice and keep his face in my eyes. He would surely be angry if he knew what Karen and I were up to, I thought. The doorbell rang. I knew it was Karen.
"You're not going to believe this," she said, rushing past me and into my house as soon as I opened the door. She turned in the entryway. Her face was flushed with excitement.
"What?"