Covet Thy Neighbor

there is no one on the planet who knows more ways to prepare Ramen. But I got it together.”
    She was quiet for a moment. Then, speaking so softly I almost couldn’t hear her, she asked, “Do you miss them?”
    “Sometimes. I miss being part of a family, but to be honest? The longer I’ve been away from them, the more I’m at peace with it.”
    Josephine swallowed, and she lowered her gaze. “How do you make peace with your family kicking you out?”
    “Well, think about it.” I kept my tone as gentle as possible. “Would you want to be friends with someone who thinks you’re less than human, or that you’re not worthy of being loved?”
    Her brow furrowed.
    “It’s kind of like when you break up with someone,” I said. “It sucks, and it hurts, and it takes a while to get over it, but then one day you realize that if that’s how they are, then you really are better off without them in your life. Doesn’t make it easy, and it doesn’t stop hurting, but it does get better.”
    Josephine said nothing for a long moment. I wasn’t sure if I should keep talking or just let her digest everything, but I also wasn’t sure what I could say.
    After a while, she said, “So what do you do now? You’re just a musician?”
    “No, I play in bands for fun. Never really suited me as a professional thing, and I’m not even in a band at the moment. My job is”—I pointed at the sleeve on my left arm—“tattoos.”
    “Really? So you’re an atheist, and you tattoo people for a living while you play in rock bands, but you’re . . .” She looked around. “Here?”
    “You’d better believe it.” I gestured behind us in the direction of the kitchen where all of the other kids had gone. “All these kids are in the same boat you are, and when I was out on my ass a few years ago, I would have given my right arm for a place like this.”
    “Even in a church?”
    “Didn’t matter where. I just needed people. You know, someone there who still treated me like I was a human being.”
    Josephine’s shoulders sagged beneath her blouse. She folded her arms and leaned forward, resting them on her legs. “I really miss my family.”
    “I know you do. Sometimes I still miss mine. But if they think you’re not good enough for them, then . . . they’re not good enough for you.”
    “How do you live without a family, though?”
    “Family’s not all there is. There’s friends. I didn’t know a soul in Tucker Springs when I came here, but now I’ve got a bunch of great friends here. In fact, one of my buddies from that church I grew up in moved here a while back, and he’s living with one of my best friends.” I paused. “And you know, sometimes there are advantages to not having your family around.”
    “What do you mean?”
    I offered a cautious grin. “Well, for one thing, you don’t have to spend the holidays with people you don’t like.”
    Josephine laughed, but then her voice cracked, and she clapped a hand over her mouth as her cheeks reddened. “Damn it.”
    “It’s all right. I’m telling you, my friend can help you with that. So, here.” I dug an old gas receipt out of my wallet and wrote Diana’s phone number on the back of it. “Give her a call, and tell her you know Seth Wheeler. And don’t worry about paying for the lessons. She and I will work something out.”
    She smiled, folding up the receipt and slipping it into her purse. “Thanks. And thanks for talking to me.”
    “Anytime.” I gestured over my shoulder toward the kitchen. “Why don’t we go see about getting you something to eat? Sounds like they’re going to turn this place into a dodge ball court before too long.”
    We got up, and when I turned around, Darren was there, staring slack-jawed at me. Josephine wandered past him, and he watched her go, blinking a few times.
    “What?” I asked.
    “That . . .” He shook his head. “I don’t know what you did, but . . .”
    “It worked.”
    “Yes, it did.” He held my gaze. “I shouldn’t be so surprised you’re good with kids, but . . .”
    “I just know where she’s coming from.”
    “Well, do feel free to come down here anytime,” he said. “These kids could definitely use someone like you.”
    I smiled. “I’d be happy to.”
    “Thanks.”
    By all rights, we should have broken eye contact and headed toward the kitchen. We didn’t, though, and now my heart started doing weird things.
    I cleared my throat. “You’re, um, sure you want an