Page 195

“Weird.”

“Useful word.”

“It was weird. I missed here while I was there. Then I felt bad, because I was finally in Sweden and I was missing Texas.”

She picks the spoon up.

“So we go in June. Two weeks.”

I put both hands flat on the table, because I have been deciding how to do this since the arrivals board.

“You may go in June.”

Her spoon stops.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“Not us.”

“I can pay for one ticket in June. I cannot pay for two.”

Tova sets the spoon down.

“Since when?”

“Since before you left.”

“You let me ask three times.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because every time you asked, you were happy, and I was not finished looking at it.”

“You said you’d stop doing that.”

“Yes. I know.”

She looks across the cereal box at Colt.

“Colt’s rich.”

“Tova.”

“He is.”

“I am,” Colt says. “Your mother knows where I keep it.”

“That is between Colt and me.”

“Then we don’t go. I’m not going to Midsummer without you.”

“You are.”

“Why?”