“Okay,” Noah says. “So. Um. I need to… tell you. Something.”
I nod slowly.
“The. Um. Weed. Thing?”
“The weed thing,” I say blandly, like I don’t have a care in the world. I’ve got this dad thing locked down.
“Okay. So. Um. You see, Lily wasn’t the one who wanted it. It was. Sort of. For me?”
That… is actually surprising. Somehow, I’m able to keep the shock off my face. “Really.”
He nods, throat clicking as he swallows. “Yes, sir.”
“You wanted to get marijuana from JJ.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So you could smoke it.”
“Um. Yes?”
“You don’t sound sure.”
His hands fidget on the table. “I’m sure.”
Lily says, “I told him I could—” but I hold up my hand, cutting her off. She doesn’t look too happy about that but doesn’t say another word.
“And why did you want to smoke weed?” I ask Noah, completely sure Bear is going to flip his lid when he finds this out. That our sweet, innocent little Noah of all people seems to have concocted a plan to get his sister to ask JJ for pot. It was really rather devious. I’m almost impressed by it. But you shouldn’t show your kids you’re almost proud of them when they tried to buy drugs. Bear learned that from the internet.
“Because… it… looks cool?”
“It looks cool,” I repeat flatly.
“Yes?”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
He’s looking a little frantic now, and I know I shouldn’t push this too much further. He hasn’t had a panic attack in a long time, and I want to keep it that way. “I don’t… know?”
“Okay,” I say with a shrug. “Caleb, napkins are our friends.”
Caleb grins at me. “I’ve got ice cream on my eyebrows.”
I snort as I dab my napkin in my water glass and hand it over to him so he can clean himself up.
“That’s it?” Noah asks, sounding incredulous.
No, that’s not it, because I’m pretty sure there’s more, but I’m not going to push it. “That’s it.”
Lily and he have another eyebrow conversation, and just when I’m about to resume eating, Lily sighs and says, “You might as well tell him now. I mean, they’re going to find out eventually.”
Bingo.
And I’m also a little worried now.
Noah looks even more nervous than before, searching my face for something. But then he steels his shoulders, and there’s a stubborn set to his jaw that I can’t help but be proud of. People underestimate Noah Thompson. They shouldn’t.
I don’t even have to look under the table to know Lily’s got a tight grip on his hand. It’s just how they are.