Page 106 of About to Fall

“After I help Nicky with the dishes.”

“No, I can take care of cleaning up.” The relief I felt at having a legitimate excuse to kick him out of my mother's kitchen was immense. “You guys go. Margaux still needs a shower before bedtime so it's perfect.”

They disappeared upstairs and I finished the dishes properly. Found a slightly chipped plate and turned it chip side down in the drying rack. Wiped down the counters, swept up the errant Gruyère from the floor, made sure everything was back where my mother kept it. When I was satisfied with the state of the kitchen, I went to find them.

Adrian was sitting on the floor in front of Margaux's vanity and she was perched on her little pink tufted bench behind him. She had given him four braids that started at the crown of his head and stopped midway on his skull, joined together in the centre with a pink tie. She was now carefully adding little pink rhinestones into the strands using some sort of handheld bedazzler.

“Wow,” I said and meant it. “I didn't know you could braid hair like that.”

“I braid Captain's hair all the time. Doesn't Adrian look like a faerie prince?”

“Yes. Gorgeous.”

“Thank you, Nicky.” Adrian winked at me over Margaux's head. “Margaux, do you think you could do my hair for the Olympics?”

“You're going to the Olympics?” Wide eyed wonder.

“Don't get ahead of yourself,” I said.

“I'm manifesting, Nicky. Let me manifest.”

“You can manifest after you qualify.”

“That's not how manifesting works. You have to envision the outcome. I'm going to be standing on that podium with braids and rhinestones and a gold medal.”

“The ISU has costume guidelines, Adrian.”

“Hair isn't a costume. Hair is self-expression.” He tilted his head so Margaux could place another rhinestone. “Tell your brother I look amazing.”

Margaux nodded solemnly. “He looks amazing, Nico.”

“Do you have a passport, Margaux?”

“Adrian Zhao…”

“What? I'm just curious.”

I swatted him on the arm and he laughed, pivoting smoothly to ask about Captain, which Margaux would happily talk about until the sun came up. She launched into an elaborate account of Captain's favourite treats and his fear of butterflies while Adrian listened with what appeared to be genuine fascination, and I leaned against the wall watching them with a feeling in my chest I didn't trust myself to name.

◆◆◆

We tucked her in at nine, which involved three stories, two trips to the bathroom, and a lengthy negotiation about whether she could stay up just a little bit longer to show Adrian her riding medals, which then evolved into tugging him toward her tower of tennis trophies.

“You can show him all of them next time,” I promised.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She looked at Adrian for confirmation.

“I'll be back,” he said. “And you can show me everything.”

Satisfied, she finally settled under her covers. Adrian bent down and let her hug him goodnight, her small arms wrapping around his neck.

“I like you,” she whispered, loud enough for me to hear. “You're nice.”

“I like you too, kid. Sleep well.”