Page 76 of My Family

Miles closes his book and nods to him too, without smiling, but the simple acknowledgment is a lot for Miles.

Jack pulls out the next chair, pats it. "We're playing bullshit. World's dumbest game, but it's tradition."

Tyler glances at Ethan, and Ethan gives him the smallest nod, and I can see how proud he looks, and it's so damn fucking cute. Tyler slides into the seat, tucking his knees under the table.

I deal him in. "House rules: don't get caught, don't cry if you lose, and never trust anything Jack says, ever."

Jack grins. "Especially when I say you're winning. And ignore the part about crying. Liam is always crying."

"No, I'm not!" I exclaim. But he's right: I'm always crying.

Miles says nothing, but slides the discard pile closer to Tyler, a subtle invitation. That's extremely extroverted for Miles. Tyler looks at the cards, then up at Miles. Then he accepts the cards and smiles at us. It's a little sheepish, which I don't expect from him. He looks like someone who might be okay.

The game starts. Tyler watches a few hands, then throws in with a bluff so obvious Jack calls him on it instantly. Tyler groans, head in hands. "I suck at this."

"Practice makes perfect," Jack says. "Or at least less embarrassing. You'll have a lot of time to practice."

We chuckle.

I lean in, voice conspiratorial. "The trick is to remember that everyone is lying. Including yourself."

Tyler nods, takes it in. The next round, he wins. And the round after that, he wins again. By the third hand, he's trash-talking Jack and openly gloating. Jack throws his arms up. "We have a prodigy, folks. Someone check his sleeves."

The table laughs.

I glance over at Ethan, who's been standing just behind us the whole time watching it unfold. His face is so proud, it makes me want to cry. My Daddy is so cute. I pat the empty chair beside me. He sits, his leg brushing mine under the table.

"He's good, your little bro," I say, just for him.

"Yeah," he says. "He is. Thank you, baby."

He gives me a kiss on the cheek. Tyler watches it happening, but doesn't say anything. He only smiles, which is pretty good. It means he accepts us.

The game goes on. Tyler fits in like he was always here, and I watch Ethan relax. I feel so relieved I don't have words for it.

☐

Tyler has been back from the hospital for three weeks now. He came back thinner than before, which I didn't think was possible, but with steadier eyes. The tremors are gone. He eats everything on his tray, which Ethan monitors with the focused attention of someone who has done this before. Not with Tyler, but with me, and I know what that look means. Tyler started MMA two weeks ago. He's a natural, which is deeply unfair, because some of us have been at this for over a year and still get winded after two rounds. He doesn't say much, same as always, but on the mat he's a different person. Loud, even. It makes Ethan smile in a way I don't see very often, that private, unguarded smile he mostly saves for me. But weirdly, I don't mind sharing it.

The rec hall fills up slowly for roll call, everybody still half asleep, including me. We're forced to line up in rows, like we're a squad. Things are getting chilly again, at least in the morning, and I can't say I'll miss summer, except for the break and the water fight. Besides that, summer is torture: heat and mosquitoes.

"Heard he's going to talk about the MMA program today," Harry mutters, appearing at my side, looking bored as usual. At least he's not terrified anymore. The boys that were being mean to him are all gone. Disappeared from one day to the next. No one asked questions, as they were bullies. No one misses them. But it’s insane how money can make that happen in a blink of an eye.

Ethan is on my other side, already with that stiff military posture, not sleepy or slouching at all. He's such an adult.

"Rodriguez told me yesterday," he says.

My heart picks up speed. The MMA sessions have been my salvation since I got here. It was how Ethan and I first bonded. I love the structured violence, the discipline, the way my body actually listens to me when I'm on the mat.

"What about it?" I try to keep my voice neutral, but Harry's not fooled. He shoots me a knowing look.

"Guess we'll find out. But don't worry, if they cancel MMA, you can stop embarrassing yourself on the mats for once."

I roll my eyes. Harry loves to say stupid shit like that. He's not even in MMA, he doesn't know how I fight. I look at Ethan, but he's not looking at me. Griff is waiting for everybody to be quiet, so he's doing his part to help, as expected of him. Such a model student.

The noise level drops as Griff barks: "GENTLEMEN."

We all shut up, because we know better. Next thing, he'll start dishing out punishments for the ones who are still talking.