Halfway through, Jake looked over at me.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Depends on the question.”
“Are you happy?”
I stared at the television.
“What kind of question is that?”
“A simple one.”
I folded my hands in my lap.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because sometimes you look like you’re somewhere else, even when you’re right in front of people.”
I turned toward him.
“You notice too much.”
“Maybe people don’t notice enough.”
I wanted to dismiss the comment, but something in his voice stopped me.
“Marriage isn’t always easy,” I said carefully. “You learn that when you grow up.”
“Does that mean you stop expecting to be happy?”
“No.”
“Then what does it mean?”
I took a breath.
“It means happiness isn’t always a feeling you can wait around for. Sometimes it’s something you have to work on together.”
He nodded slowly.
“Do you and Uncle Tom still do that?”
