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example.” I give them both a small smile. They really are rather entertaining when I need it.
    “I’ll see you both in the morning,” I say to the Ezes. “Night guys,” I say to Aaron a nd Kayla. They both look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. It looks like the beginnings of love to me. I smile widely at them.
    I kiss Ava on the forehead and leave the guys’ apartment.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
    After two hours of bathroom time, I wander into my pitch-black bedroom. I see a little lump curled up in the middle of the bed. I silently laugh at the sight. So much for the sleepover at Kayla’s place. I curl myself around my daughter and enjoy the closeness. Neither of us are super cuddly, and as Ava has grown, she refuses the attention more and more. It makes me sad and proud at the same time. I lay for a while trying to shut off all thought to my mind. I can’t grasp just one thought and concentrate. It’s like cockroaches flitting away at the first flash of light.
    “I can’t sleep,” I whisper to the shadow in the corner. “How long have you been here?” 
    “Not long,” Ezra whispers back as he creeps to Ava’s side of the bed. He lifts her arm and pushes a stuffed animal under it. Ava cuddles into the toy without waking.
    “What’s that?” I ask of the toy.
    Ezra slowly walks to my side and kneels beside me. I roll to face him. I can barely see the outline of his face in the dark of my room. Not long ago, Ezra would have been upset with this amount of light hitting his face- fear it would ruin his game, the therapy session from hell. I can see his smoky eyes and the curve of his mouth, but nothing else.
    “It’s a stuffed monkey Cort and I share . I thought Ava would like it. It smells like us.” The curve of his mouth tilts into a smile.
    “You have a monkey ?” I try to keep my laugh quiet. I don’t want to wake Ava.
    “ We do, and his name is Monkmee.” I can hear laughter in his voice. “Our mothers took us to a toy store. I think we were four, maybe three. We both wanted the same monkey, and there was only one.” Ezra bites his lip as he relives the memory. He flashes me a dazzling smile- white teeth glowing in the night.
    “So you share the toy?” My fingers itch to touch him. I curl them into my palm to fight my need.
    “If there is one thing Cortez a nd I do well, it’s sharing.” Ezra’s expression turns serious.
    “Do you easily s hare with each other or with everyone?” I ask, and I feel like we are no longer talking of the stuffed monkey.
    “Come,” Ezra says as he takes my hand in his.
    “Where? I can’t leave Ava. If she wakes , and I’m not here, she may be frightened.” My voice breaks with panic.
    “Ava will be fine. She’ll do what all kids do when they look for their parents.” He sounds amused.
“And what’s that?” I say as I tug my hand, trying to get out of his grasp. But his fingers intertwine with mine. He isn’t letting go so easily.
    “They will look i n their parents’ bedroom. Come,” Ezra says as he pulls me again.
    “I’m not sleepin g with you, Ezra,” I firmly warn as I crawl out of the blankets.
    “I just want to talk- nothing else,” Ezra promises. He walks us through my apartment and into his, and we reach a room I’ve never been in. It’s dark, but I can tell it’s empty. “Well, what are we missing here?” He says to himself, but I can hear a note of amusement and pride.
    “What are we doing? This isn’t your room,” I whisper even though the room is empty. It’s nighttime, and you just can’t help but whisper as if you’re going to wake whoever is asleep.
    “Ya know how you have some OCD issues? Well, so do I,” Ezra admits. I just look at him in confusion and he sighs loudly at my ignorance. “I have to check to make sure everyone is safely tucked in bed or I can’t sleep. Sometimes I have to check more than once.” His voice sounds hopeless.
    “Doesn ’t that make you super