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“Are you kidding?” Erin says. “The timing kind of sucks. Considering that Dr. Wilson has a cabinet full of them.”
“He has a cabinet full of guns?”
“Guns, rifles, shotguns.”
“Oh my God. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d freak and wouldn’t let me babysit there anymore. I didn’t know you were Annie fucking Oakley.”
“Erin, please. Your language!”
“You said ‘fucking Facebook’!”
“Who’s Annie Oakley?” Leo asks.
“I’ll tell you all about her while you’re getting into your pajamas,” Craig says, leading Leo from the room. “I’ll be back in two minutes. Looks like we have a lot to talk about.”
“Water will be boiled in a minute,” Erin says. “You want regular tea or herbal?”
“Regular. A drop of milk. No sugar.”
“So,” Erin says, putting a tea bag into an empty mug and retrieving a carton of milk from the fridge, “do we have to move again?”
Maggie sighs and shakes her head. “We’re not going anywhere.”
“Good. ’Cause I kind of like it here.”
“Me, too.”
Erin pours the boiling water into Maggie’s mug and watches as the tea bag turns the liquid a golden brown. Then she removes the bag and adds a drop of milk before placing the steaming mug on the table in front of Maggie. “Careful. It’s hot.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
“The argument wasn’t really about Dr. Wilson’s generator, was it?”
“No, it was not. How was your dinner?” Maggie asks before Erin can ask a follow-up.
“Great. We went to the Pelican Cafe. Then we went and picked up my new car.” She grins. “Dad tells me I have you to thank for that.”
“It was a joint decision.” Maggie reaches over to touch her daughter’s hand. “What kind is it? I’m afraid that, in all the excitement, I didn’t get a very good look at it.” In fact, all she remembers as Craig hustled her back inside the house is a sleek black blur in her driveway.
“It’s a Toyota Corolla. Just a couple of years old, and only fifteen thousand miles on it. Dad said he got a great deal on it.”
“Well, congratulations, and drive carefully.”
“I will. How’s the tea?”
“Perfect.”
“It’s my specialty,” Erin says as Craig reenters the kitchen. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“It’s her specialty,” Maggie says.
“Sure. A drop of milk. No sugar.”
Both Maggie and Erin smile.
“I told Leo he could watch cartoons for half an hour,” Craig says, sitting down across from Maggie. “So, what’s the story?”
