Believe Me

“Kenji.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” I say, still staring at Ella. “For everything.”

“Is it so impossible for you to just be happy for—”

To the world, she is formidable.

To me?

She is the world.

I was Frankenstein’s monster.

I meant what I said, love.”

Though I’m glad you find it entertaining.”

Don’t encourage them,

I absolutely won’t,” she calls out cheerfully. “In fact, I fully support the two of you tearing off each other’s clothes, if that’s what you’ve got planned!”

This,” she says, gently prodding my pant leg in a manner that would disturb Kenji for weeks.

but Nazeera—I never thought I’d see her like this.

I suppose she might say the same about me.