Page 4 of But For You

When I looked over at them, Kola was mixing his oatmeal with butter and brown sugar, making it burp with his spoon before he added milk.

“Just eat it,” I told him.

“I’m making it edible.”

Edible. Damn kid and his damn vocabulary.

“Leave the Petersons alone.” Sam breathed the words, letting out a long-suffering sigh.

“I am.” I bit my bottom lip.

“Jory …” he cautioned me.

I tried for innocent.

“Daddy,” Kola said, back beside us, looking up at Sam.

“Don’t lick the cat,” Sam reiterated, bending down to one knee as his son stepped into his arms and put his hands on his face. “All right?”

“Okay.” Kola nodded.

“Okay,” Sam sighed, pulling Kola close, hugging him tight for a minute.

“What’s homonic?”

“I dunno.” Sam yawned, leaning back so father and son could look at each other. “Where’d you hear it?”

“Pa told Auntie Dyl that Jake’s parents won’t let him come play at my house ’cause they’re homonic.”

Sam nodded. “That’s homophobic, and that means that Jake’s parents don’t want him to come over because you have two fathers.”

Kola squinted at Sam. “Why?”

“Some people just don’t like it.”

“Why?”

“Well, I think some people are afraid of what it means.”

He shook his head. “What does it mean?”

“That if you can have two fathers, maybe things are changing.”

His scowl made his little eyebrows furrow. It was adorable. “I don’t understand.”

“I think you will when you’re older, buddy.”

“It’s dumb.”

“Yes, it is,” Sam agreed, hugging him again. “But I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. I can still see Jake at school.” He hugged Sam back tight, both arms wrapped around his neck. “Harper and his mom are coming with me and Pa and Hannah, and Uncle Evan and Bryce and Seth, and Auntie Dyl and Micah and Mabel, and Tess and her dad to the movies next Saturday, so Jake’s the one who’s missing out.”

“Who’s coming again?” Sam teased him.

“Harper and his mom are coming with⁠—”

“Stop,” I cut Kola off. “Your father heard you the first time.”