“Hmm.” She chews thoughtfully on the cold cuts. “Maybe a minor title, then. Better Than Average Woman?”
I make a face. “Too long. Not catchy enough. Superheroes need a catchy name.”
“That’s true. I read that Stan Lee was originally going to call Spider-Man Stick-to-Wall-Man. Doesn’t really have the same impact.”
“Oh my God. You know who the creative leader of Marvel Comics was? You’re every teenage boy’s wet dream.”
She wrinkles her nose. “There’s a superhero name for me in there somewhere, but . . . ew.”
I laugh, charmed by her as always. “Gimme your hand, sweetheart.”
She extends her arm and rests it on my leg. When I open the small packet that contains an alcohol swab, she sighs wistfully, then swipes at her eyes.
Worried by her reaction, I ask, “Do needles scare you?”
“No, hone
