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Dorothy looked at her daughter, who was soaking up some vitamin D in a cushioned chaise lounge. Her hair was wrapped in a scarf. Dorothy was glad they’d decided to stay home. Peter brought the newspaper and handed half of it to Dorothy, who was already sitting at the glass dining table. Justin sat in a lounge chair next to Melanie. Dorothy looked up at Peter and smiled. They didn’t have to speak. The joy of being together spoke for itself.
* * *
Melanie was anxious to talk to Justin about the gun thing, but her parents were still within earshot. Maybe later she could coax him into helping her make margaritas, and they’d have some privacy. He broke the silence. “So how are you liking OSI?” It was the first time anyone had addressed the elephant in the room, in spite of the logo on Melanie’s hoodie.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about it.” She sat up, her sunglasses dangling from their cord.
“I didn’t ask you to go into any detail. I only asked if you liked it.” He shook his head. “Some things don’t change.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she huffed.
“Your blockheadedness.”
“Huh. Says you.” She pulled her sunglasses over her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.
Justin chuckled. “Good thing.”
“What’s a good thing, Mr. Smarty Pants?”
“That some things don’t change.”
Without looking, she took a blind swipe at him.
It had been a lazy kind of day. Exactly what Melanie was hoping for. So much had happened in the past year since she’d graduated from college. Six months of waiting, three months of intense technology training, then three months of enhanced tactics. It was a lot to cram into one’s head. The waiting part took up none of her gray matter. The last six months of preparation made up for it.
The morning drifted into lunchtime. “Anybody hungry?” Dorothy asked.
“What do you have in mind, Mom?” Justin asked. He was always up for food, especially his mother’s. Real, delicious meals were a luxury.
“I’m going to grill some steaks for dinner,” Peter reminded them.
“Yeah, but that’s hours away.” Justin got up from his chaise and walked over to where his mother was standing.
“I have fresh crabmeat.” Dorothy raised her eyebrows.
“And avocados,” Melanie called from across the patio and jumped up from where she was lounging. “I’ll help.” As she approached the two, she said, “Mom, why don’t you let Justin and me make lunch.”
“Dear, you already made breakfast.”
“I know, but I don’t get to have fun in the kitchen very often.”
“Oh, alright. You know where everything is?”
“Of course,” Melanie answered with a grin. “I did an inventory of the fridge this morning.” Then she looked over at her brother. “Unless the bottomless pit cleared it out.”
“Ha. Ha.” Justin flicked his finger at the back of her head.
“Creep,” Melanie scolded.
Peter was standing at the putting green. “Yep. Great having them back.” And he took a slow, deliberate swing.
Melanie linked arms with Justin and pretended to drag him inside. When they were far enough into the kitchen, she whispered. “I need to talk to you.”
Justin looked alarmed. “Everything okay?”
“Yes.”
“But?”
