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way. I have the personal experience to prove it.
    I glanced at Oscar to see if his face showed anything. He was looking down at the deck as though he’d suddenly developed a major interest in wooden planks.
    â€œWhat about Oscar?” Eddie said. “He can’t play but he can keep score . . . and eat.”
    â€œYeah, bro. You’re welcome to stay,” Ryan said.
    I wanted to reach out and hug both of them for doing just what brothers are supposed to do, but their kindness and attention seemed to embarrass Oscar even more.
    â€œThat’s okay,” he said. “I’m not that hungry.”
    â€œGood, then it’s settled,” Lauren said, quickly seizing the opportunity to exclude him. I could hear the relief in her voice. “Eddie, get your game face on. We’ll go inside and change and meet you guys on the beach in five minutes.”
    The girls ran inside, and Ryan and Eddie went out onto the beach to warm up. I could see right away that Eddie was going to be a great player. He could jump really high, his hands were quick, and he had the graceful moves of a natural athlete. My heart ached for Oscar. I wondered how many moments like this he had suffered, watching his star brother do everything he wanted to do but couldn’t. Alicia reached out and took his hand.
    â€œSoon you’ll have the surgery,” she said. “And then you’ll be able to run and play like everyone else.”
    Oscar nodded and forced a smile.
    â€œI have a thought,” I said when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Let’s hang out together and do something else. Something really fun.”
    â€œGreat idea, Sammie,” Alicia said. “I know that Sara invited a couple of the Truth Tellers over for a pizza and movie night. I’ll call her. I’m sure it’s fine if we come.”
    â€œWhat’s a Truth Teller?” Oscar asked.
    â€œIt’s a club at school that Sammie and I and Sara Berlin and a bunch of other kids belong to,” Alicia explained. “We all get together to tell the truth about how we feel.”
    Oscar looked perplexed. “Why do you need a club to tell the truth?”
    â€œWe do performances and stuff, based on our true feelings,” I tried to explain. “We even performed at a city council meeting and got a standing ovation.”
    Alicia said something to Oscar in Spanish. I assumed she was telling him more about the Truth Tellers, although from the look on his face, he didn’t seem too clear on the concept. I could relate. My dad still doesn’t get the concept of Truth Tellers, and he’s forty-five and not from El Salvador.
    â€œI’m going inside to call Sara,” Alicia said. “Be back in a sec.”
    Oscar and I sat down on a couple of the wooden deck chairs. He looked out at the sand, watching Ryan and Eddie jump in the air and practice spiking the ball over the net.
    â€œEddie can jump really high, like a frog,” he said.
    â€œMore like a flea,” I answered. “Did you know that fleas can jump one hundred times their body size?”
    â€œI will tell that to my dog when I get home,” Oscar said, and we both burst out laughing.
    That smile, it was good to see it back.
    â€œHey, youngsters,” a booming voice called out. I turned around to see Tom Ballard pushing open the gate, followed by his son, Spencer. The Ballards are Sporty Forty members, and although Charlie doesn’t talk about it much, I know she really likes Spencer, which is okay with me, because of all the SF2 guys, I think he’s the nicest. And that cute dimple on his cheek doesn’t hurt, either.
    â€œHello, Mr. Ballard,” I said, getting to my feet to shake his hand. I don’t always shake hands with grown-ups, but Mr. Ballard is on the Santa Monica City Council, and since he’s always campaigning for re-election, he is a major handshaker. Every time I see him,