Because You're Different ✔

13. Sweet potatoes

"You're infinitely better than Valentina, Nathan," June said, as Sam and I gulped down the delicious food. "She always forgets what she's doing, and then she puts on some music for a little ambiance, and before I know it, she's dancing around the kitchen." The fond smile on her face disappeared. Lost in thought, she moved around the vegetables on her plate.

"I'm not sure if that was meant to be a compliment," I said. "I don't think you can get any worse than that."

She smiled again, a weary smile. "True. She's the worst. I wouldn't trust her to turn over a fish stick. You're definitely already ahead of her. And I see enough room for improvement."

I smiled back, realizing it meant she wanted me to cook with her again. Sam also seemed satisfied with the idea. "Good," he said. "You two can be like my own personal servants."

June and I shared a look. "You're doing the dishes tonight," I said.

Sam sighed. "But—"

"Are you really going to try to go against a lawyer in training and me?" June interrupted.

Sam seemed to contemplate the idea for a while, investigating the ceiling like there was a solution written there, then sighed deeply and began to gather our dirty plates.

I didn't think about swinging bodies once that night.

While June's birthday was growing nearer, so did Cleo's court date. We were hoping to at least get her out of the detention center by arguing her life was at risk there; it was a horrible place to be living in, and we hoped her depression might decrease slightly if she could get away from there. We'd also finally obtained more evidence of her husband's abuse in Mexico. Despite that, things were looking grim. The chance we were going to lose was significantly larger than the chance we'd win; the licensed lawyer who was supposed to be supervising and guiding us was showing up less and less. All four of us knew. None of us wanted to say the words out loud.

It was causing sleepless nights, and I made sure the 1L's were having additional meetings with their mentors so they could keep an eye on them. I didn't need my mentor for that. I had June, and she was more adept at calming me down than anyone I knew. Cooking together had become a sort of ritual. By the time she was almost fifteen, my kitchen skills had improved at such a rate, I wondered if she should start her own cooking school. And for that, for always being there when I needed her the most, she deserved the best birthday present I could think of.

It was the first time in weeks I was picking them up from school. It was Friday, the start of the midwinter break, and June's birthday was in a few days. Sam knew I would be getting them today, just as he knew where we were going. Still, it was June who first spotted the Mercedes-Benz, even though she had no indication to think I was going to be there.

Gentle rain drizzled down from the sky; Sam's hair was stuck to his forehead, June's was frizzy, her cheeks red. She smiled at me from a distance, while Sam had stopped to talk to one of the girls who'd been at the party. June paid her no mind, and vice versa. How were they keeping up with this? It was clear Sam had made some friends June couldn't stand. Had he even noticed?

"You came to pick us up," she said when she and Sam had finally reached me and I opened the door for her. "I thought you were going to pick up that guy at the airport."

"Yeah, I was done early today," I said. "Figured you two might like to go with me. Sam used to love watching the planes take off when he was a little kid." Sam smirked at me; he was bouncy, elated. It was a wonder she hadn't noticed anything about his behavior yet.

Or mine, for that. I was trying to keep the giant grin off my face, barely able to wait for her reaction. If only she knew... I hoped she was going to love it — I thought she would, but now that the moment was getting nearer, I was starting to have doubts. Not that it mattered; we were at the point of no return. Only going forward now.

We led her to the arrival hall for JFK's incoming flight, casually, pretending it was no big deal. "What's he look like?" Sam asked. June must have thought he was very fond of my non-existent friend, or maybe she was confused since he seemed excited while he didn't even know the guy.

"He doesn't stand out much," I said — just like June, I was a good liar. A professional maybe even, after two and a half years of law school. "I'll point him out when I see him."

June was quiet, arms wrapped around herself. Yeah, it was cold in here, but it was probably more the memories of her home city chilling her than the a/c. All these people were arriving from the place she'd grown up in, the place most of her family lived, and they'd probably be able to go back whenever they wanted to, while she was stuck here. Maybe we should've told her in advance.

"Oh, there she is," I said then, and when June looked up, frowning, I was sure we'd done the right thing.

She stood there, frozen, feet sewn onto the ground, staring at the person who had just exited the arrivals gate. Valentina hadn't seen her yet; she was trying to adjust her bag, which was pressing into the skin of her shoulder, muttering something under her breath. A small smile appeared on June's face, and as she started to walk towards her cousin, the smile grew wider and the little lights in her brown eyes began shining brighter than they ever had done before.

I couldn't help but smile myself, a large one that almost felt unnatural. Sam wanted to join them, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. No, this was their moment. They hadn't seen each other for seven months — this reunion should be all about them.

There was a loud shriek when Valentina noticed her cousin. In a wild gesture, she dumped all of her luggage on the floor, and then ran towards June, crushing her in a stifling hug. They were talking in rapid, loud Spanish, embracing and suffocating each other every few seconds. Valentina took June's face in her hands, as if to inspect her, then held her at arm's length to see the whole of her. The older girl was shaking her head disbelievingly, and June burst out laughing. Valentina twirled like a model, and June nodded approvingly, probably commenting on her outfit. Around them, other people smiled shortly, watching them reunite for a moment before getting on with their business.

Yeah, we'd done the right thing.