He needed to learn there could be room for both.
Months later, I found Luke outside repairing the porch step again.
Emma sat beside him criticizing everything.
“You’re holding it wrong.”
“You’ve never held a hammer.”
Emma reached for the hammer.
“I’ve seen people do it.”
“On television?”
“Still counts.”
I carried out lemonade.
Emma reached for the hammer.
“Because I enjoy having all ten of your fingers attached.”
Luke pulled it away.
“Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
“Because I enjoy having all ten of your fingers attached.”
“I know how to use it.”
“Mom, please tell her she’s not touching this.”
“No, you don’t.”
Emma looked at me.
“Tell him.”
Luke sighed.
“Mom, please tell her she’s not touching this.”
For a second, I saw the old panic in his face.
Everything stopped.
Luke looked at me.
Then at Emma.
For a second, I saw the old panic in his face.
Emma rolled her eyes.
A second later, they were arguing about the hammer again.
“Fine. Ask your mom. You’re both annoying.”
Luke blinked.
Then he laughed.
A second later, they were arguing about the hammer again.
The house wasn’t silent anymore.
I watched them from the porch.
The house wasn’t silent anymore.
And nobody had to leave to make room for someone else.
