Soon after that, Mrs. Del Rio stopped by their table. "So you're back from volunteering? I guess Sam is too."
"Us too," Riley said like she couldn't see them sitting right there. "We made confetti."
"You must have worked hard. I bet you'll need a good lunch," she said.
"Sam is bringing us the special," Wyatt told her. "I heard that you're letting him have time off to volunteer. That's really nice of you."
"Is that why I'm doing it?" she said like she had to think about it then she winked at Wyatt.
"She winked," Riley said. "I can wink too." He then proceeded to do a whole bunch of random blinking and making faces.
"I can do it better," DJ said. He did manage to close one eye, but it involved a lot of effort, tilting his head to one side and scrunching up one whole side of his face.
"You've outdone me, boys," Mrs. Del Rio said and tried not to laugh. "But I don't mind since you're my favorite customers."
"You did it good too," Riley told her.
That's when Rico came over. "Sam is back, so I'm off to volunteer," he told his grandmother.
The man in question was coming over with their order and smiling at all of them like an angel. He smiled at Rico too then shot Wyatt a significant look, daring him to get jealous.
"Here you go. Enjoy it, guys," Sam said as he balanced his tray and set the food in front of them.
Wyatt gave him a long, meaningful look, and the whole time made sure not to even glance at Rico. He was on his way and out the door anyway.
"We'll be seeing you soon, right?" Wyatt asked Sam. He missed him terribly.
"Soon," Sam confirmed.
Sam had to keep working, and Wyatt always kept him in his field of vision. When he noticed him put in an order at the window then stop to get a drink of water, Wyatt went over to him. "Don't mind me. I'm just here bugging you while you work," he told Sam.
"You're a customer, you can bug me all you want," Sam said.
Wyatt grimaced, displeased. "I thought I might have more privileges than a mere customer."
"But the customer is always right," Sam told him with a grin.
"OK then. Think about coming over tonight. It's been too long since we've been alone."
"Maybe," Sam said. Then he looked over at the kids. "What's going on with the boys?"
Wyatt looked back and saw that they had their heads together and their expressions were very serious.
"I don't know. I'll find out what's on their minds," Wyatt said and he went back to their table.
The kids perked up when they saw him. As he sat down across from them at the table again, Wyatt looked from DJ to Riley.
"What's up, guys? Why the frowny faces?" he asked them and saw their expressions turn gloomy again. Any time he saw them upset, he felt his heart constrict painfully.
"Someone said you're going to go back," Riley said and he looked sad.
"Back where?" Wyatt wondered.
"Where you used to live before," Riley told him.
"Europe," DJ said, pronouncing the word carefully, like he wasn't sure what it meant.
"Who said this?" Wyatt asked.
