Chapter 37

“I know.” He made a fist, but he could never punch the truck he loved so much. “They never even go home anymore, do they? You’ve set up all Etsuko’s family right there, under one roof: her okaasan, obaasan, and two otousans,neither one me. I’m not part of it.”

“They are leaving…tonight, I guess. Tomorrow. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. It’s me…my head…It’s not about them. Come spend the night.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“Billy…”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll see it’s not like that,” Erika said. “There’s a place for you in that family. Etsuko will be back really early, right?”

“Mom has to be to work at seven.”

“And you have to be at class at 9:30. Our house is closer. You’ll have an extra half an hour or so. I’ll tell the guys to back off.”

“Don’t do that.” Billy softened. He wiped sweat from his face with his large, freckled hand. “They’re…they’re alright.”

“You li-ike them,” Erika teased.