“Okay,” he said, “Well if you need to get away, just say chocolate bananas. It’s the safe word. ‘Words’, I guess.”
“Safeword? What?”
“Just like, if you want me to rescue you from an extensive conversation about different types of plaid or whatever. And if you want to go home, just wink at me and I’ll say it’s Henry’s bedtime. Or I’m tired. Or?—”
“Sam. It’s going to be fine.”
He was cute when he was nervous.
“Okay. You’ve been warned.”
My stomach flipped as he pushed open the door. “We’re here!” he called.
“Oh mygoodness!” came an older woman’s voice.
Then, there she was, the woman who’d raised Sam. She was pretty, shorter than I would have thought, with close-cropped silver hair and crinkles beside her eyes. Eyes just like Sam’s.
Eyes that were currently welling with tears as she took in her grandson.
Her hand went to her mouth as she stared at him, then at Sam, whose arm she gripped like she was drowning at sea.
She leaned in to Henry. “Hello, little one.”
Henry blinked, looking alarmed.
“It’s alright,” Sam said to him. “I don’tthinkshe’ll bite.”
Henry tucked his face into his father’s chest, and not for the first time in recent days, I marveled at how close they’d become. How easily Sam’s hand spread across his son’s back, like he’d been holding babies his whole life.
“Oh, he’s being shy,” Sam’s mom said. She looked at Henry adoringly.
I was used to being second when there was a baby around. It was fine. But she turned to me next. “And you must be Elizabeth.” She gripped my arms.
“Ellie, please.”
“Ellie. Of course. Sam has told us so much about you.”
Mrs. Caplin’s eyes were the same color as her son’s, though her gaze was a little more… I wasn’t sure. Aggressive maybe? Then she pulled me in for a hug. I had to hold the pie out sideways so it wouldn’t get smushed in her surprisingly tight grip.
“Mom! You better not be suffocating her!” That came from a tinny voice in the other room. I frowned up at Sam.
Sam groaned. “You brought Cora?”
“Isn’t she in Singapore?” I whispered.
“I think they’re in London for a bit now,” he whispered back. Like that made a difference.
“Yes, she brought me!” said the voice in the other room as Sam nodded at me. “Wouldn’t take no for an answer!”
“Well, Cora hasn’t met Henry yet, has she? Unlike Anaika? We might as well have our first family dinner all together.” Sam’s mom took the pie from me.
Sam leaned down. “Remember: chocolate bananas.”
“Well isn’t this lovely,” Sam’s mom said, oblivious. She bustled down the hallway.. “Since it’s such a beautiful evening,” she said over her shoulder, “I thought we’d eat outside on the new patio. Your father’s already out there with that confounded radio.”
“I’m really sorry,” Sam whispered. “Did she hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” I was a little bewildered, but fine.
