Page 185 of End Game

A wet laugh escapes her. “Probably wise.”

“I found this and thought it was perfect.”

Five birthstones.

Hers.

Mine.

Micah’s.

Dex’s.

Ronan’s.

All the same size.

No stone bigger than the others.

Just all of us.

“I know I’m still figuring some of this shit out,” I tell her, even though my words are meant for all of them. “But I’m not figuring out whether I want it anymore.”

Her face crumples as her eyes turn red.

Fuck.

Cami launches herself at me.

“I love you,” she says into my neck.

I wrap both arms around her. “I love you too.”

Behind her, Dex makes a suspicious sound.

Cami turns to look at him. “You’re crying.”

“It’s Christmas.”

Micah rubs a hand over his back. “You are crying.”

“Stop policing my face.”

Cami laughs as she pulls away, then hands me the necklace. “Put it on me.”

I fasten it around her neck.

The five stones settle against her chest, and she touches them before looking around the room at all of us.

Dex clears his throat loudly. “Okay. We need something stupid immediately, or I’m going to have another real emotion.”

Cami points toward the tree. “Your crochet pussy and dick are right there.”

“Perfect! Crisis averted.”

By ten-thirty, the living room looks like Christmas lost a bar fight.

Wrapping paper covers the floor, breakfast plates have migrated… everywhere, and Dex is trying to convince Micah that the crocheted genital ornaments need some kind of wedding ceremony.