Ice Cream and U

wn in a navy sweater and jeans, nervously checki

5 p

inute

. He was surrounded by parents-some with strollers, some on phones, some looking c

he sa

with a backpack twice his size and

ile fa

, managing a soft s

yeing him suspiciou

ut today. Just you and m

ous. "Do you know where th

ut maybe you sho

look, then nodded. "Okay

ckled. "T

ocolate chip cookie dough and blue bub

ca said, licking hi

I'm a bor

. You have lines on yo

sed a bro

Luca mimicked a frown. "You m

laughed-a real, so

said. "I gu

nch. For a while, it was just the scrape of spoons and th

voice: "Are

tion was

d at him. "

cries sometimes. A

ightened. "I'm..

best thing that ev

's r

erious. "Are you gonn

playfulness gone. "

alf-melted cone toward Ethan. "You can

d as he too

through the café window, clutching

beside her

n't k

s tr

ne that

nce to try back. Maybe it's time you let your son

didn't

than looked up-caught h

. Not tr

gra

ime in years, Aless