I looked up at him. Oh my god, I thought. The look on his face, the fright, all seemed to mirror if not what was on my face, what was in my mind. Maybe he’s different.

“Please don’t laugh,” he said. I could see that he was actually begging me, underneath his bravado. He gripped my hand a bit harder.

“Of course not,” I said. “Unless it’s a joke, of course…” I don’t know why I said that last bit. He seemed to be awfully serious.

“Promise?”

“Just tell me!”

“Well, you know I have nine siblings…”

Wow. I was a little taken aback by that one, having of course not known. But I nodded anyway, not wanting to sound like Miss Clueless here.

“Well, seven of them are foster kids, so not really related, but anyway—“

“Foster kids?”

“Yeah, you know. They got put into the system because their parents can’t take care of them.”

“How awful!”

“That’s not the point, Cee Cee. Anyway, they’re putting on this play tonight, all nine of them, and it would mean a lot if…you don’t have to, but…would you come?”