Если я останусь

           "DoyoureallythinksprinklersandpanickednursesaregoodforMia?"Kimasks.

           "Well,notthatexactly,butsomethingsothattheyalllookawayforhalfasecondandIstealthilysneakin."

           "They’llfindyououtrightaway.They’llthrowyououtonyourbackside."

           "Idon’tcare,"Adamresponds."Ionlyneedasecond."

           "Why?Imeanwhatcanyoudoinasecond?"

           Adampausesforasecond.Hiseyes,whicharenormallyakindofmutt’smixtureofgrayandbrownandgreen,havegonedark."SoIcanshowherthatI’mhere.Thatsomeone’sstillhere."

           Kimdoesn’taskanymorequestionsafterthat.Theysitthereinsilence,eachlostintheirownthoughts,anditremindsmeofhowAdamandIcanbetogetherbutquietandseparateandIrealizethatthey’refriendsnow,friendsforreal.Nomatterwhathappens,atleastIhaveachievedthat.

           Afteraboutfiveminutes,Adamknocksonhisforehead.

           "Ofcourse,"hesays.

           "What?"

           "TimetoactivatetheBatSignal."

           "Huh?"

           "Comeon.I’llshowyou."

           WhenIfirststartedplayingthecello,Dadwasstillplayingdrumsinhisband,thoughthatallstartedtotaperoffacoupleyearslaterwhenTeddyarrived.Butrightfromtheget-go,Icouldseethattherewassomethingdifferentaboutplayingmykindofmusic,somethingmorethanmyparents’obviousbewildermentwithmyclassicaltastes.Mymusicwassolitary.