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"You always get that," JJ said, making a face. "You have to try the other options!"

"No, I get it because it's always the best."

"That's a logical fallacy," Sawyer said.

"I don't know what that is but that's fine."

JJ was studying his menu with unusual concentration.

"I think I'm going to get the Five-Cheese Ziti," he said.

"You've had that before," I said.

"I know. Because it's good."

"Then why did you tell me I have to try other options?"

JJ looked at me. I looked at JJ.

"That's different," he said.

"How?"

"It just is."

"That's a logical fallacy," I said, very pleased that I knew how to use the phrase now.

Sawyer laughed so suddenly he had to cover his mouth. JJ narrowed his eyes at me. "You don't even know what that means."

"I know it means you're wrong."

Daddy laughed.

Daddy placed our orders before giving the server his own, and when the server left he rested his arms on the table and looked at the three of us.

"I'm very happy with you all today," he said, simply.

Those words always warmed me. Always, every time, without exception. I knew JJ felt the same way — I could see it in the way he went a little quieter when Daddy said it.

"We were good," JJ said.

"You were," Daddy confirmed.

The breadsticks arrived. I took the first one before anyone else because it was only fair — I had been worried about them all afternoon — and it was exactly as good as I knew it would be.

Dinner was the kind you didn't want to end. The food was good, the conversation was easy, Sawyer told a funny story about a student who had tried to form a human wall in the school corridor to block PE class, JJ laughed so hard he cried a little, and Daddy sat listening to all of it with that quiet smile.

For dessert I ordered the tiramisu and ate it with great seriousness and dedication, because it was a very serious and adult food – it had coffee in it! JJ stole two forkfuls and I pretended to be angry about it but wasn't.

On the way home I dozed off in the back seat, leaning against JJ's shoulder, and he didn't complain even a little. When we got home and Daddy carried me inside half-asleep, I heard him say, very softly:

"Good boy. My sweet boy."

And I smiled before falling all the way asleep.

Chapter 15. Sullivan

The house was quiet.