26

THE UNEXPECTED KNOCK ON MY BEDROOM DOOR THE NEXT afternoon sends my pulse jumping. My parents dropped me off at home after my doctor’s appointment—no MELD score change!—and left again to run errands. The only other people who have keys to our house are Sibby, who’s not due back until tomorrow afternoon, and our next-door neighbor, Mrs. Taholi, who needs one of those motorized lifts to get up a set of stairs these days.

I wish interior doors had peepholes.

“Who is it?” I venture, creeping closer.

“Special delivery” comes the reply, in a deep, familiar voice.

“Alex!” I yank open the door, my jaw dropping. Of course there’s someone else with a key to our house: its other occupant.

My brother stands in front of me with a Scrabble board held in both hands like an offering. “You were ghosting me on Words With Friends, so . . .”

“Mom said you were coming up the weekend after this one.”

“I am.” He shrugs. “Also.”

I grin at him. I said I didn’t want him here because I knew he’d try to tease me out of any wallowing I wanted to do, but I am ridiculously and unexpectedly happy he ignored me. And it turns out he doesn’t even need to resort to teasing, because my mood takes an instant lift just seeing him in my doorway. Despite the fact that we’re not all that physical with each other and it doesn’t feel completely natural to do it, I throw my arms around him and squeeze tight.

He hugs back hard. After a few seconds, he peeks over my shoulder, wrinkling his nose. “It smells like ass in here. Or maybe it’s you. Slap on some deodorant and meet me in the kitchen.”

I narrow my eyes, but I’m secretly grateful he’s being the same Alex as ever.

“You’re going down so hard,” I tell him. “There aren’t any cheats to save your butt in analog.”

“Cheats? Why would you think I—” He gasps, pretends to be scandalized. “Wait, do you use cheats when you play me?” His eyebrows are in his hairline.

“Oh, please. As if you don’t!” I laugh and close my door in his face.

He clomps down the back stairs as I search for my phone, open Words With Friends for the first time since last week, and play “owned.” Then I open the chat box within our game and type: That’s what you’re about to be.

A few seconds later his bark of laughter travels up the heating vents.