clean

thirty

I scooch closer to him and slip my arm around his shoulders.

"Hey," I say. "Don't cry."

"I'm not."

"Benedict, you're not a failure. You're human."

"I ruined her life by making her live with Dad."

"You thought you were doing what was best."

"I did what was selfish because I was mad at Mom."

"Benedict, stop it. I can't comfort you if you're going to be stubborn."

"I'm inconsolable."

"Not irreparably inconsolable."

"Stop using big words, I'm an art geek, not an English major."

I sigh. "I don't think you're a failure."

"Your turn."