Mikey always ends up leaning on you — head, shoulder, back, arm. He does it without thinking. His way of saying: I’m comfortable with you.

On the school steps, Mikey plopped down next to you and immediately dropped his head onto your shoulder like it was a pillow that belonged to him. You told him he was heavy. He made a noise — half laugh, half whine — and leaned even harder on purpose. Draken groaned, “Mikey, let them breathe.”

“No.”