“Anise seed pods.”
Conrad’s face moved through confusion, relief, amusement, and a softer gaze I tried not to notice. He looked more relaxed than he had in days, perhaps weeks. His sleeves were rolled up, showing off a blue arcade bracelet on his wrist.
“How was the arcade?” I asked.
CJ held up a small rubber alien. “Transformational.”
Bianca clutched a large plush frog under one arm. “I achieved several high scores.”
“Bianca became queen of a maze game,” CJ said. “There were no survivors.”
Conrad smiled at them both, and the sight caught me unprepared.
He looked happy. Genuinely happy, with his children flanking him and Billie vibrating beside the stove and the cauldron bubbling between us.
I looked back down at the stew too quickly.
CJ came around the island and held both fists out toward Billie. “Pick one.”
Billie gasped. “A trial.”
“A gift.”
She studied his hands intensely, then tapped the left. CJ opened it. A ring pop sat in his palm, bright and ridiculously full of red-dye 40 and sugar.
Billie made a sound I suspected only dogs and certain supernatural beings could fully appreciate. “For me?”
“For you.”
She threw her arms around his waist so hard he stumbled back a step. “I forgive you for abandoning me.”
“I appreciate the pardon.”
Bianca set the plush frog carefully on a chair. “We didn’t abandon you. We had separate bonding time.”
Billie stuck the ring pop onto her finger and admired it. “My bonding time had mud.”
“Of course it did,” Conrad said, but I could tell he was grateful.
They had dinner around the kitchen table because the dining room was too formal for potion stew and arcade prizes. I served everyone, including Conrad, who tried to stand and help twice before I gave him a look that made him sit back down.
“I can carry the bowls,” he said.
“You can also relax.”
“I’m not sick anymore, remember?”
“You just spent the afternoon in an arcade with two rambunctious children. Take it easy.”
CJ nudged him. “The queen makes strong points.”
“Arcades are neurologically demanding,” Bianca said primly.
Billie held up her ring pop. “My jewel says sit.”
Conrad sat and turned to face me. “You’re joining us for dinner, right?”
“I’d love to stay and hear about everyone’s day, if that’s all right?” I swallowed hard. “But I’m really not hungry. I ate a heavy lunch.”
