“I would love that.”
Maren blinked back sudden tears. Arden was doing the same.
Mac took the casserole dish from Arden smoothly. “I’ve got this,” he said. “Where am I taking it?”
“Kitchen,” Maren said. “Thanks, Mac.”
“Aye aye, captain.” Mac winked at Juni on the way past. Juni giggled and Mac looked happier than he had all day.
“It’s lasagna,” Arden said, handing the grocery bags to Maren. “There’s a salad in there, and bread. I figured if you’d been eating drive-through you’d want something with vegetables in it. And garlic bread, because if you don’t have garlic bread with lasagna it’s just sad.”
“Just sad,” Juni repeated, very serious.
Arden grinned at her.
“My goodness, when did you have time to make lasagna?” Maren asked.
“Oh, I had some frozen. I put it in the oven the second I got home. I wanted to make sure you had something real to eat. And,” Arden reached into the second bag, “dry beans, as requested.” She pulled out a one-pound bag of dried beans. “Pinto. I hope that’s all right.”
“Oh, thank you. They’re perfect.”
Juni’s silver-gray eyes went round. “What are those for?”
“For the Blue Fairy,” Maren said. “For her stuffing.”
Juni gasped. “You can fix her?”
“I can try. Aunt Arden brought me what I need.” Arden smiled at the title.
“Thankyou.” Juni said it the way she’d said it to Maren when she first saw the doll—small, and serious, and meaning it. Then she hugged Arden’s leg again.
Arden put a hand on Juni’s head and just studied her. Maren’s throat tightened. She quickly turned to set the bags on the table.
“Are you staying for dinner, Aunt Arden?” Juni asked.
“Not tonight, kiddo.” Arden’s tone sounded light. “Aunt Maren needs to eat and then you guys need to sleep about a hundred years. But I’m really close by, and I’ll be back.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
Juni gave her a small, satisfied nod and let go of Arden’s leg.
In the kitchen, Mac had set the casserole on a trivet he’d produced from somewhere. Colin had moved to the front window—not staring out, just a glance one way, then the other.
“Promise you’re settling in?” Arden asked Maren, her voice low enough that Juni, now in the kitchen to ‘help’ with dinner, wouldn’t catch it.
“Yes. I…” Maren stopped. Tried again. “Arden, you’ve been so kind. I don’t know how to?—”
“Don’t.” Arden touched her elbow. “We’ve got time for thank-yous later. You’ve had a day. Besides, we’re family.”
Maren nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Eat the lasagna while it’s hot. Don’t worry about the dish, I’ll clean it. There’s also a Tupperware of brownies in the bottom of the second bag because chocolate.” She turned and called toward the kitchen, “Juni, sweetheart, save room for a brownie, okay?”
“Okay!”
Both women grinned at her enthusiasm.
