Page 22 of AJ’s Fire

“A real date,” I ruminated. I could feel my pulse quicken. “So you think, you and Emily?”

AJ looked like he was giving it some thought. “You know, I always thought this all started when she moved to town. It’s not her, is it, Jax? Did you profess your love to your best friend”—my eyes went wide—“high school edition and get turned down? Why am I going out with her, Jax? What’s going on?”

“I don’t begin to understand what’s going on with Ems. But I promise you, it’s not her.”

“Is it Nina, or Rose, oh! Or Casey from Lucy's Taphouse?”

“Okay, Aje, now you’re just naming women.”

“Ruth? Is it the cousin? Ohhh, am I going to be witness to a dramatic cousin’s love triangle on New Year’s Eve?”

“Your dad needs to write a poem called ‘Dumbass,’ because you’ve turned that trait into an art form, and it should be documented and celebrated.”

Chapter Seven

AJ

We’d had a nice dinner after Vera’s dance lesson, where Jackson had basically told me he was done with the hookup scene. I’d missed my partner in crime but was so happy to have my friend back. We were back to texting stupid things to each other, adding raunchy limericks to our repertoire, and praising each other for our stunning poetic ability.

I found most of mine on the internet and assumed he did too.

Jackson had agreed to go out with me one Sunday, “Just to watch the game, okay?” But my brother called me in the afternoon and asked if I could watch Vera, as he’d been called in on an emergency.

Coffee Trainer: J needs me to watch V. We can watch the game at his house if you don’t mind.

I didn’t have to wait long.

Probie: Sure

Coffee Trainer: Sweet. Heading over rn. Come by whenever.

I walked the few blocks to my brother’s brownstone. My niece greeted me at the door.

“Is that you, Uncle AJ? I’m not allowed to open the door.”

“It’s me, princess, but wait for your dad, okay?”

“Daddy, Uncle AJ’s here!”

I could hear Jamie bounding down the stairs. “Go ahead, little one. Let him in.”

“Uncle AJ, we’re gonna have so much fun! Can we have pizza? What should we watch? I’m gonna draw a picture of you in your uniform. Did Daddy tell you? Uncle Joshy’s friend Devon is going to come stay with us. But it’s a really long way away. Not till after Christmas!”

A little shell-shocked, I latched on to the one question I thought I could tackle. Looking at my brother, I asked, “Pizza?” He nodded. “Yes, Princess, we’ll order pizza in a little while.”

“Okay! Let’s go draw!” Vera tugged at my hand, dragging me toward the long, narrow living room on the other side of the entrance hall.

“I’m not sure how long this is going to take.” Jamie apologized.

“It’s all good. We got this. Right, princess?”

“Right, Uncle AJ.”

“Thanks, man. And little one, be good for your uncle.” He bent down to kiss the top of her head. “Love you, little one.”

“Love you, too, Daddy,” Vera shouted distractedly as she led me to a set of shelves in the living room that was completely overtaken by toys.

We laid on the floor for a while, drawing pictures of buildings on fire with stick figures standing in front of them.