The newest problem was immediately apparent as they pulled into the cul-de-sac. None of the cars were in front of the house. When Emily rang the bell the dogs didn't even bark, confirming her fear.

"Nobody's home." She turned back to Evan.

He stood there holding her two bags and frowned. "You don't have a key?"

"Do you not understand my screwed up family dynamic yet? I probably should have called or texted first."

Emily's eyes burned as the tears started to form. She took a deep breath to swallow them down with, and pulled her phone out to text her father. Her lip quivered and she knew Evan was watching her intently.

Finally, he snapped. "That's bullshit! You shouldn't have to text or call first and they should have given you a key!"

He turned and stormed down the front path. At the edge of the front lawn he stopped and turned. "Well come on! My mom will be thrilled that we brought her bagels."

Evan held the door open for Emily and put her bags down in his front hallway.

Kate's voice came from the kitchen. "Evan? How was Emily? Did she like the ukulele?"

He guided Emily into the kitchen as he answered his mother. "You can ask her yourself."

Evan stood behind Emily with his hands resting on her shoulders. Emily peeked up to look into his face and was graced with a charming smile.

Kate turned from the sink and wiped her hands on a dishcloth. "Oh my goodness Evan! How on Earth did you steal her away from her mother on her birthday?"

Please don't answer that...

Her stomach seized uncomfortably at the thought of her mother. She pictured Maggie crying and kneeling on the floor surrounded by broken mug and smeared blood.

To distract from the question, Emily thrust the brown paper bag she held, out toward Kate, who asked, "And what's this? A present for me on your birthday?"

Emily felt her ears turn red at Kate's vivacious attention. "It's just a dozen bagels."

Kate laughed and turned to Evan's father who stood beside the kitchen island. "Did you hear that Dennis? Just a dozen bagels. This young lady has no idea how much I love my Brooklyn carbs!"

Evan's father was as tall as his son, but leaner. Mr. Murphy's thinning blonde hair was made lighter by the white strands that mixed through it. He pointed at his wife. "If you really want this one to be your friend for life, bring her pizza next time."

He winked and stepped over to extend his hand. "It's wonderful to finally meet you Emily." Taking Emily's hand in both of his, he gave her a warm handshake.

"Nice to meet you too."

Then Dennis looked over Emily's head at his son. "I hate to be the buzzkill, but don't forget you promised to cut the grass for me today. It's already after twelve and you have a game later, so you had better get on it."

Evan opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of water. "I'll take care of it right now."

They went back out to the porch and Emily settled into the white rocking chair there. She gently rocked and watched as Evan pushed the mower out of the garage.

He stripped off his shirt and tucked it into the back of his shorts so it dangled down like a tail. Pulling the starter, he woke the mower with a sputter and a growl. Emily sipped her water while Evan went up and down the yard, making even stripes across the shamrock colored lawn. She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of cut grass mixed with pungent gasoline.

I love that smell... It reminds me of when the NDA groundskeepers take out the ride-on mowers... The only thing I don't like about the mowers at school is the noise... They make it hard to focus in class sometimes... While the motor of the Evan's lawnmower is noisy, it is nowhere near as loud as the ones at school... Evan's makes a pleasant vibration in the air that I can feel deep in my body.... But perhaps it is nicer merely because of the boy that is steering it...

Emily crossed her legs onto the chair and opened her eyes to look at Evan again.

Genetics, youth and athleticism made him quite the view. His arms and shoulders were corded with muscle that tapered down his back to his firm butt. The whole picture was improved by a fine sheen of sweat that accentuated his physique the way oil did on bodybuilders.

Evan stopped and took his shirt from the back of his pants. He turned off the mower and wiped his face with the shirt. Emily's stomach flip-flopped as he walked towards her. She held out his water bottle for him. As he gulped it down, Emily marveled at the fact that he was interested in her at all.

Here I sit on my birthday, in a shirt that I slept in last night... with not a spot of makeup on my face... and my dysfunctional family and atypical neurology complicating things as usual... While there Evan is, looking like a marble statue of a god... with his happy family and typical suburban life...How can this ever possibly work out? It's hopeless...

Evan kneeled in front of her. "Hey Cherry? Where'd you go? You look like your mind went somewhere else."

Emily stopped rocking. "Just thinking..."

"About?" He put his hands on her knees.

She looked in his eyes. "It doesn't matter."

Because when he looks at me like that... And I look into his eyes... It feels like it doesn't anymore...

"Want to try?" he asked with a nod toward the mower.

"Sure!" she chirped.

They walked over to where he left it in the middle of the line he was carving through the grass blades. She put her hands on the push bar. Evan stood behind her with one hand next to hers. He pulled the starter with the other hand. Then he leaned over her while he guided her for the remainder of the line, showing her the easiest way to turn and start on the next one. Then he let go and she was on her own.

Now I can tell exactly how much his strength helped keep me on track...

Her arms shook along with the machine. But she successfully managed the remaining three lines of the lawn. Evan walked over to turn off the mower.

It feels good to do something physical...

"Not too shabby for your first go." Evan winked.

Emily smiled. "It's nice to do something that has an immediate result that you can see. But my arms do feel a bit like rubber now."

Evan gripped her arms and squeezed up and down massaging them. "Yeah the vibrations can do that."

As they stood there together, her father's car turned onto the street, followed by Kelly's.

"I'll get your bags from the hall," Evan said before he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and went inside.

John Sr. and Kelly got out of their respective cars and walked towards Emily while she made her way across the lawn. They met at the base of Evan's driveway. She heard his screen door slam behind her as he approached with her bags.

Her father was flustered. "Bean! What are you doing here? Did I forget you were coming?"

Emily felt Evan stop right behind her. Her father turned to Kelly. "Did you know she was coming today?"

Kelly shook his head no and squinted his eyes at her.

Emily blew a piece of hair out of her face. "Um no... you didn't forget... and Kelly didn't know. It was a last minute change of plans. Evan came to Brooklyn this morning to wish me a happy birthday and..."

Her father gripped her in a hug. "Happy Birthday Bean! I'm so happy you're here. This is the first birthday I've spent with you since you were seven."

Kelly stood silently staring at Emily and Evan.

Her father kept his nervous rambling going. "I'm sorry no one was here. Your brother is at work and Suzanne has the dogs at the groomers. I just met Kelly at Pep Boys to help him pick out some stuff for a tune-up on his car."

Evan said, "Well, maybe she should have a set of keys."

John Sr. chuckled. "Well, she really hadn't ever been here enough to bother before..."

"Whose fault was that?" Evan mumbled behind her.

"...but yes, maybe it's time." John Sr. turned to go unlock the house.

Kelly stepped forward. "I'll take her bags."

Evan walked around him. "That's okay man. I got them."

Emily went to follow him but Kelly reached out and grabbed her wrist. "What the hell is going on Emily?"

She looked down at her wrist. It was the same one that her mother had dragged her by this morning.

"Don't!" she warned.

He dropped it and picked up his persuasive tone of voice instead. "We'll talk later."

He lifted his eyebrows at her.

Emily nodded. "Fine."

When she got into her room, her bags rested on the floor and Evan sat on her bed. He stood up as she walked in.

"Thanks," she said.

I hope he knows that is meant for more than just carrying my things... It's generic enough to cover rescuing me from my angry mother and sheltering me from my inattentive father... I know I probably should say more... But when I search my brain for the right words... I can't find them...

Evan didn't respond. He didn't automatically say "You're welcome" or "No problem" as most people would. He stood there calmly looking at her as if he was on the mound and she was home base. The silence and stillness stretched on.

Emily folded the hem of her shirt and rubbed her fingers against it. The air conditioner clicked on and cold air blew out from the vent in the wall.

Then Evan stepped forward and wrapped her into his arms. He spoke into the top of her head and his lips shifted the strands of her hair. His breath was warm and damp against her scalp. "What happens next?"

"Well, you go get ready for your game and I study for my Regents," she said.

We both know that's the answer for a different question...

Emily's phone buzzed and she looked at the screen. "It's Jenny calling."

Evan sat back on the bed while Emily answered the call.

"What time are we doing cake?" Jenny asked without bothering to say hello.

"Change of plans. I'm in Jersey." Emily opened a dresser drawer and stared at the emptiness inside.

"What? Why?" Jenny exclaimed.

Emily took some clothes out of her bag and filled the drawer. "Maggie went ballistic this morning and shattered a mug in the kitchen while she screamed at me."

Jenny repeated, more urgently this time, "What?! Why?!"

Emily took out some of her toiletries and lined them up on the dresser. "Long story... I can't really get into it at the moment. Evan's here with me right now."

Jenny huffed through the phone. "Ahhh I see. So call me later. Okay?"

Emily opened the closet and put her empty bag and shoes inside of it. "Yep. Will do."

They both hung up without saying goodbye.

Evan was on his feet again. He came behind Emily as she stared into the closet.

My blue cardigan is missing...

Evan swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck. Emily shivered and he tucked his arms around her.

"I've got to go finish mowing so I make it to my game on time. Do you want to come watch me play?"

"I shouldn't. You heard... This is the first birthday I've spent at my Dad's since I was seven. I should probably stay here." She sighed.

He grunted. "Yeah I guess you should."

Emily turned into his embrace. She lifted her hand and placed it on his bare chest above his heart. Evan leaned down and rubbed his nose against hers. She knew the tip of her nose was cold.

He kissed it and said, "I'll text you after the game is over."

Emily nodded. Evan let go of her and walked toward the door.

Then suddenly he turned, grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms. "I can't leave you without doing this."

He gripped her and hoisted her up to kiss her again. Emily latched her legs around his waist and Evan spun and pressed her against the door.

Oh... Now there's that gnawing needful sensation in the pit of my stomach again...I want more...

He moved his lips to her earlobe and whispered, "Happy birthday Emily!"

I want to memorize as much as I can about Evan in this moment...

Emily breathed him in and he smelled like cut grass, sweat and sunshine. She ran her hands down his arms and could feel how tense the muscles of his forearms were.

"You should put me down Evan."

He ignored her as he nuzzled his face between her breasts.

As much as she wanted him to continue, she gripped his hair and pulled his head up to look at her. "Your arms are going to be too tired to pitch."

"It'll be worth it." Evan grinned.

Emily laughed. "You say that now..."

He kissed her again. "Last one," he said as he put her down, "for now."

As Evan walked down the hallway, she shut her door and the phone in her back pocket buzzed again.

Emily answered it. "Hey Pop!"

"Your mother tells me that you're at your father's today. I just wanted to call and wish you a Happy Birthday." He cleared his throat.

Emily spun her tube of red lipstick in circles on the top of the dresser. "Did she also tell you about our fight?"

Pop let out a small, wet cough. "I understand that she found the camp paperwork and your money. I warned you that lying to her wouldn't end well."

Emily watched the lipstick revolve toward the edge of the dresser. "I didn't lie. I just neglected to tell her about it."

Her grandfather chuckled. "Exclusionary detailing, or lying by omission will always come back to haunt you. If you leave out pertinent facts and misrepresent yourself, eventually you'll lose track of the state of things and forget who you really are."

The tube reached the edge and fell off onto the carpet.

But what if you're still in the state of trying to figure out who you are?

A sharp barking cough interrupted her thoughts. "Take it from an old cop; you never have to keep the truth straight. And don't ever smoke."

She bent down and retrieved the lipstick. "Got it, Pop! Thanks. I love you!"

Emily hung up with her grandfather and pulled the curtain to the side and looked outside. She heard the low mechanical whirr of Evan's mower faintly in the distance, but she couldn't see him. She guessed that he was in his backyard by now.

She glimpsed her father and Kelly under the hood of the car. Kelly pulled his head out and looked up at her window. Emily dropped the curtain back in place.

She collapsed onto the bed and rolled toward the wall. Her brain hurt and her stomach twisted trying to think of what she would say to Kelly later.

She ignored the pain as best she could and started to doze off when there was a soft knock on the door.

"I'm napping," she called out, hoping whoever it was would go away.

There was a second more insistent knock. She sighed and got up to answer it. When she cracked the door open about six inches, there stood Kelly drying his hands on some paper towels.

Emily didn't open the door more, so Kelly put his arm up and pushed it open. She backed up and he stepped inside.

She watched as he balled up the paper towels in his fist. Kelly squinted at her. "So?"

Emily walked over to her bed and sat down. "So?"

Kelly pressed his lips into a thin line and didn't say another word. Emily stood and went to the closet. She slid open the door and gestured at the empty hangers. "I need my navy cardigan."

Kelly threw the wad into the trashcan next to the dresser. "Okay."

His taciturn demeanor unnerved her. She slid the closet door closed and stammered, "Because... you see... I can wear it to school... because it's a uniform approved sweater."

Kelly leaned his left hand against the dresser and drummed his fingers. "Uniform approved huh? Is anything about you truly uniform?"

He chuckled at his rhetorical question before he added, "And of course you wouldn't want to break a rule."

Emily felt her ears get hot and her eyes threaten to fill up, her body confused between hurt and anger.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, "Are you making fun of me?"

He ignored her question and put his hand on the doorknob. "I'll be back later with your sweater."