“She said something strange,”
“Rebecca said you were the one who told her you wanted our family.”
“I did.”
“Would you mind telling us why?”
He glanced toward the living room, where Josie was coloring.
“Because Josie picked you.”
Of all the answers I'd imagined, that wasn't one of them.
“Because Josie picked you.”
The person who had barely reached my waist had apparently made the biggest decision in the room.
“Josie? But she's four.”
Jace rubbed his thumb along the edge of the table.
“Exactly. Nobody listens to her about important stuff because she's little. They ask what toy she wants or what color cup she wants, but when it's something real, adults decide for her.”
"Nobody listens to her about important stuff."
He looked toward his sister again.
“So when Josie told me she wanted you guys, I made sure Rebecca listened.”
Suddenly, that sounded exactly like Jace.
He'd spent a month barely asking for anything for himself.
But when Josie wanted something, he'd made sure an adult heard her.
She must've heard her name because Josie looked up.
Suddenly, that sounded exactly like Jace.
“What?”
Jace motioned her over.
She came running and squeezed herself between us.
“Jace says you picked us,” I said.
She nodded as if this were obvious.
“Why?”
Jace motioned her over.
Josie pointed at her brother.
“You talked to him.”
I almost smiled.
“That was it?”
Josie frowned at me like I was missing something obvious.
“Everybody talks to me,” she said. “They play with me and give me snacks. But they don't talk TO Jace. They talk ABOUT him.”
I was missing something obvious.
Jace stared at the table.
“What do they say?” I asked.
“They ask if he's bad. If he gets mad. If he can stay somewhere else.”
Jace's jaw tightened.
“One lady said she wanted me, but her house was too small for Jace.”
“What do they say?”
“After that, Josie wouldn't talk to her anymore,” Jace said quietly.
Josie shrugged.
