Jack and I look at each other and shrug.
Seth is silent for a heartbeat. “You two exhaust me.” He yanks the lanyard hanging from Fred’s pocket, capturing Fred’s car keys in his grip. “Luckily, we don’thaveto walk everywhere.”
“You can walk if you want to, but if you do want a ride, now’s your chance,” Fred says, wrestling with Seth for his keys. Seth breaks from Fred’s arms and sprints toward the parking lot, Fred hot on his heels.
“We’ll walk to the library. Fred needs help now,” Jack says, and chases after them.
I chuckle and follow, grabbing up our bags. Fred manages to get the keys from Seth before we reach them. I toss everyone their bag and we climb into the truck, Jack and I taking our usual spots in the back.
“Freddy boy and I have a big US History project to work on tomorrow,” Seth says once we reach Jack’s house, “but if you want to save our brains at any point with a distraction, I won’t complain.”
Jack drops to the ground from the truck. “You got a project, too? We have one in Chem, due Wednesday.”
“Teachers love giving projects this time of year,” Fred says with a sigh. “Good luck with yours.”
We wave as they drive off. “I was serious about a distraction tomorrow!” Seth calls out the window.
Jack sniggers and leads the way into his house. “Mom, we’re back!”
Widget charges over, tail whirring. Jack scratches behind his ears. I pet his head. Such a weird little dog.
Mrs. Benson’s voice sounds from the living room. “Oh, Eli is with you? Perfect!” We find her sitting on the floor next to Hugh, rolling a toy car back and forth on a play mat designed with flat roads and buildings. Hugh perks up when we appear and crashes into Jack with his arms flung wide, crying, “Uncle Jack!”
“Apparently I don’t play cars with him as well as you do,” Mrs. Benson says. “He’s been here, there, and everywhere this morning.”
“Janet’s at the library?” Jack asks, plopping down on the floor and picking up a car. Hugh scrambles to get one and bangs it against Jack’s.
Mrs. Benson nods. “She had some homework she needed to get done, so I told her to go. She’s taking Hugh to her friend’s house after his nap.”
“I told Eli he’s coming for Thanksgiving,” Jack says, between sound effects of crashing cars and mock yells as he races his car away and then back into Hugh’s.
Mrs. Benson moves from the floor to the couch, and pats the spot next to her for me to sit. “You knew you were invited, right?”
My eyes dart down as Widget comes trotting over and settles by my feet. “Uh . . .”
Mrs. Benson wraps me in a one-armed hug. “Well, you know now. We wouldn’t have it without you. And I’m eager to meet your family.”
I flinch. Jack cuts off mid-charge, so Hugh’s belly chuckle falters. Hugh grunts to get Jack’s attention, but Jack and I are staring at Mrs. Benson. “What do you mean?” I ask.
Mrs. Benson’s eyebrows lift. “I’m inviting your parents and your uncle, too, Eli.”
TWO
JACK
Mom looks at me. “Jack, did you not tell Eli his whole family can come?”
“I didn’t realize it.”
Hugh rams his toy truck into my car with a “rah!” and I make a half-hearted growl in return, moving my car without looking. Eli is so tense on the couch, shoulders stiff . . .
“I told you to invite Eliandhis family,” Mom says, lips pressing together.
My ears burn. “I may have stopped listening after you said Eli.”
Mom sighs, half amused. Eli’s lips twitch like he wants to smile, but the strain in his expression is too much to let something so light appear. He’s lost in thoughts about his family. Not shutting down, but compartmentalizing, at least. Trying to keep that negativity from taking over.
Hugh gives up on me and lays on his stomach, lining up his cars and trucks on the mat.
