” He barked. “Can you do me a favor?” He stuck his head through my door. “Throw the switch on the washing machine, will ‘ya?” Ken was doin... his own laundry, but he seemed to have no time that morning. “Bye, sis!” and he threw the entrance door shut. I was baffled. He did not seem to remember the embarrassing moments last night. Had he been really that deep asleep? Against my conscience, I opened the washing machine. There was just one boxer shorts in it. I picked it up with the fingertips. Jason, if you've done well all year, you'll do fine like you always do. If that's what's really on your mind."Jason did not respond. He turned his attention back to his plate, but did little more than poke the pieces around.Audrey sighed. "Very well." She wiped her lips with the napkin and stood up. "Henry, please clean up when you're done and get the dishwasher started. I have some work to do in the sewing room."Henry raised an eyebrow. "Again? We can't possibly have that many clothes with. Frankly, I’m both disappointed in, and surprised by, James’ restraint. Dianna’s is equally disappointing, but not surprising. That’s why I’m here.”“Well, now you can leave,” I replied. “I’m no longer your problem.”“You’ll always be my problem, Caleb,” she said. “I was hoping you’d be more than just that.”“And what did I say about my name?” I asked, flattening my tone.“Trust me, young man, I have a lot of other things I’d like to call you right now.”James had a lot of discipline, but I felt him. I hit the sack and had the good sense to contract strep throat in the meantime, avoiding the awkwardness the next morning with a raging fever and no voice to speak of. He stayed at my place a couple weeks later. At 3 AM or so, our peak conversational time, displaying an odd mix of body language, I found myself with my head in his lap (an unusually cuddly move) and my arms tightly crossed over my chest. With his thin but strong hand awkwardly resting on my shoulder, he laughs and says,.