“Me too,” I agreed. I’d not really had the chance to pity myself. Taking care of Aster and the kids had taken priority. I’d grieved in bed, but that was often disturbed by a child or Aster crawling in beside me.
A sudden bang on the window made me jump, and I snatched my hand back and stared into the furious eyes of Lars. If Lars were here, who was watching the younger children? Oh boy, was Lars in for it now!
Chapter Ten.
Magic
Holy crap. Had the kid been spying on us all along? Jody sprang from the chair before I could blink. Quickly, I gave the waitress some bills and hurried out after her. Lars was getting a real reaming from Jody when I got outside.
“…a grown woman! Thirty-eight years old to your pathetic sixteen. You think you know the ways of the world!” Jody yelled at Lars, who towered above her. “You left Oskar in charge to come and stalk me, for what? What! If I chose to have dinner with someone, how the hell does that affect you?”
“Magic held your hand! You said this wasn’t a date! I’m protecting you!” Lars spat back.
Jody reached up and cuffed the side of Lar’s head. “Magic was holding my hand because we were talking about your father, and I got upset.”
Lars opened his mouth and shut it again.
“Exactly. Believe me, you’ve crossed the line, my boy. You’re the child, not me! I protect you. And you have completely overstepped this time. Your bike privileges have been revoked for two months!
Ouch, I felt that deeply. For someone who loved riding, that would hurt, and by the expression on Lars’s face, that stabbed deep.
“You’reminmor, I have to look after you!” Lars tried arguing.
“No. You don’t, son. This isn’t what your dad meant when he said that. And you know it. You’re using it as an excuse for this over-ridiculous behaviour. Lars, you’re scared I’ll date someone and forget Vulcan. That won’t ever happen. Vulcan is etched deep into my heart. It’s possible I could love another man; there’s always a chance. But he’d never replace Vulcan.
“Now go home and savour the ride because it’s the last one for two months! And you and Oskar both have babysitting duties for six months. Laila will be happy she escaped that! Argue, son, and I might also ban you from the school dances and proms coming up!”
Lars snapped his mouth shut, sent me a dirty look, and then stomped back to his bike. Moments later, his Harley roared out.
“Wow,” I said, for lack of a better word.
“Lars needs a kick up the ass. I’m unsure what’s got into him lately,” Jody muttered.
“Lars is a typical boy; we all go through it and test our boundaries,” I replied.
“Well, he’s going to learn there are rules. I can’t believe Lars left the kids to come and spy. I know what happened. He snuck out and didn’t tell Laila, and I bet Oskar went to get her once Lars was free and clear. Honestly.” Jody sighed.
She ran a hand over her face, and I noted how exhausted she appeared.
“Who do you lean on?”
“No one. There’s no way I’d ever contact my parents or siblings. It’s just me and the kids, Magic.”
“You’re carrying the burden alone?” I asked, not surprised at all. That sounded exactly like Jody.
“Who else? Hell, I searched for a parent support group, and they’re all for moms and toddlers. That gave me an idea, though,” Jody said.
“Want to get more milkshakes and dessert, and you can discuss it?”
“I’d enjoy that,” Jody replied and headed back inside. Her eagerness for adult conversation made me wonder when she’d last spent time with her age group, probably before she left Denmark.
Jody
Crook House was ablaze with lights when I got home, and although quiet, it felt as if someone were waiting. I stomped in and glanced around. Viggo waved from the landing with Jerrik next to him. Both looked intact and amused.
“Jesper?”
“Asleep.Moster Jody, I kept him running around the fenced-in yard,” Viggo replied.
