Page 60 of Emil

“Send me a postcard once in a while.”

“Is there something going on with you?”

The question made my chest tighten. Before I heard his answer, I realized that by standing there listening, I was eavesdropping, and that didn’t sit right with me. I shifted my weight, heat creeping up the back of my neck, and turned toward the bedroom instead. I needed to stop trying to listen to conversations that weren’t my business, even though I really, really wanted to know the answer to that last question.

“I don’t know what you mean, Lila.”

As I passed the doorway, he must have muted himself because he called out for me to come back to the office. The sudden quiet made his voice sound louder without the buffer of the call.

When I appeared in the doorway, Emil mouthed, “Would you like to meet my sister?”

I frantically shook my head no. I looked like a bum, and I wasn’t ready for the questions that would come with that.

“Hey, why do you keep muting me? Who are you talking to?” Lila demanded.

“Why are you so nosy?” Emil shot back.

“Is someone there with you? Who is it? Do I know them?”

“When I have something to tell you, I will tell you. Until then, you need to go visit a castle or something.”

“As a matter of fact, I’m going to visit Neuschwanstein Castle for a candlelight dinner. I know it’s kind of touristy, but I’m going to get my Disney on.”

“Send me a postcard.”

“Should I be addressing it only to you?”

“Lila, there is no chance I am answering any of these questions.”

“Fine. Be that way. But you look happy, and I hope the reason is a really great one.”

Emil glanced at me, his eyes warm and unmistakably fond, and I had to look away before he could read too much into my expression. As they kept talking, he waved me over to the chair in front of his workbench. I sat down, the faint scent of sawdust and oil clinging to the air.

Every once in a while, he’d catch my eye and give me a quick wink. I think he was trying to hide it from Lila, but my stomach flipped every time, and I was pretty sure she caught him more than once.

When they said their goodbyes, she added, “All right, big brother. I’m going to hike up to the top of that hill and look at the castle. Fingers crossed you go hang out with whoever it is you keep winking at off camera.”

“Goodbye, Lila,” Emil said with a laugh.

Emil fiddled with something on his computer, then looked up at me, smiled, and said, “She’s gone.”

“Safe to say that was your sister?”

“Yes. I think the big brother line was the biggest clue,” Emil answered with a fond grin. “She was working hard to dig information out of me.”

“She was.”

“But if you’re not ready for me to say anything to her, then I won’t,” he said easily. “There’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Family is a big step. Like…it means something.”

“Your mom saw me that day when you first came out here.”

“It doesn’t count with my mom. She wouldn’t remember you from Adam, no offense,” I added quickly, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

“None taken,” he said, still smiling. “That tracks.”

“Anyway,” I said, pushing ahead before my nerves could get the better of me, “it sounds like she’s having a good time.” I needed to move the subject away from introducing people to family because even the idea of it made it hard to breathe.