“That’s a nice way to put it.”

“It’s the true way—”

“Then say it in his words, Noah. Say the actual sentence.”

Noah couldn’t. He tried and stopped and his mouth went thin and he said, “I’m not doing this,” and went out to the porch, and Sophie let him go, which I would not have.

Ethan stayed. He hadn’t said anything at all.

And after a while he said: “He left me and Noah too.”