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“Kids, you all help Dad clean this up. I’m going to show George around the basement.” She pushes her chair back and stands, signaling for me to follow her. Jake purses his lips and clears his throat. I follow Miranda, hesitantly at first, because Jake is giving off a vibe like he’s going to jump up and bite me. He was so much chiller than I expected this whole meal. I don’t know why it surprises me that he’s back to his usual attitude now that Miranda and I have work to do.
I also don’t know why I’m actually in her basement. “So, um, how far are we taking this lie then?”
“Yeah, I don’t know. I didn’t think this part through.” She’s standing awkwardly straight, her hands down at her sides as she looks around the room. The wall at one end has a few stacks of boxes labeled with things likeGirls 5/6 clothesandBarbies. Another wall has a bookshelf full of board games. The far end of the room has the biggest beanbag chair I have ever seen in front of a large TV, which is mounted above a console containing three different video game systems. “I really should do something with this space though… Maybe a craft room or something. Or…do you think I could actually set up a training space here?”
I raise an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with my dojo?”
“Nothing is wrong with it. But this way if one of my kids is sick or something, you can just come here to train me.”
I think she’s serious, so I indicate the wall with the boxes. “If you were to clean this area, I could see you putting some mats there that we could spar on at least.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. It could be interesting. Also, maybe that way I can train with Jake here instead, so my time with you can just be you and me, and then I can pass on some of the techniques to Jake.”
My head snaps up faster than I mean for it to. “Does Jake not want to train with me anymore?” I would be lying if I said this wasn’t a relief. But I also feel guilt burning in the pit of my stomach. This guy’s whole life changed and I’m at least part of the cause, and now I can’t even teach him how to protect himself.
And as I’m thinking about all the legitimate reasons Jake has to not like me, a third idea enters the mix: What if he tries to stopMirandafrom training with me next. I rub a bead of cold sweat from my brow as I try to get my eyes to focus on her.
The face I see is not full of confidence like I’m used to. She bites her bottom lip in a way that makes me fear what is coming next. “Well, no. He doesn’t want to. He thinks maybe his time at the official dojo should be…over. It’s just been hard for him to be involved in the Guardian stuff. But I really think he needs to keep up with it for his own safety, especially after the fucking muses. Plus, his body now… Oh. My. God. Definitely don’t want that going away!”
I can’t help but roll my eyes at her off-topic interjection. “That’s fine. We should really be focusing more on your training anyway.”
She stares at me with raised eyebrows, awaiting further explanation.
“Sorry. I’m just a little protective, I guess. You’re already so far behind in your training. I think all my attention needs to focus on you.” I take her wrists in my hands, look into her dark eyes, and feel the tension in her arms relaxing. I soften my voice in response, “So, trolls?”
Her brow furrows. “Trolls? OH! Trolls! Right! You head back. I’ll say goodnight to the kids and come up with a reason why I need to go out. I won’t be more than a few minutes.”
I am skeptical of her timing, but what else can I do?
“Yeah. That’s fine.”
We go back upstairs to her family. I nod good-bye to Jessie, who is still looking at me from a corner with her arms crossed while Phoebe and Natalie run up and hug me, and Sam gives me a fist bump. My eyes squint from the wide smile on my face. I do notice that Jake didn’t come to see me off. Against my better judgement, I enjoy spending time with Miranda’s family. Seeing her home, meeting her family, eating her cooking, strengthened our bond and made me want to protect her more. Plus, I am leaving her house with a warm cozy feeling in my chest I haven’t felt since, well definitely not since my father died, maybe even ever.
“Miranda, please don’t forget what we talked about. Ourplans. Yes?” My eyes are wide, willing her to get my meaning. She had better not leave me hanging about this troll crap. She’d better be shortly behind me.
She nods to me. “I know theplan, George. I’ll see you soon.”
I definitely pissed her off by insinuating anything different.
I just don’t know how she does it, balancing both sides of her life. I wonder if her kids have any idea who their mother really is. That she is as powerful as she is. That she’s the real deal. Probably not. I don’t know many kids who stop to think about such things. They just want their mom. Unfortunately, the world needs her too. Even though the next Guardian has been born, she’s still so little, barely a toddler. No matter how any of us feel about this, Miranda is going to be on duty for a long while still.
Chapter 8
Miranda
“Well,thatwasaninteresting evening, right?” My voice cracks a little as I look at my kids, all standing around the front door.
“I still don’t understand why you had your personal trainer over for dinner. It’s really shady, Mom.” Jessie’s voice is flat, but her suspicion has been noted. Sheisgoing to be the first to figure this whole Guardian thing out; I just know it. And she can’t lie to, or keep a secret from, her siblings. So, when she does figure it out, all the kids will know. Immediately.
“Well, Jessie, believe it or not, moms and dads can make new friends, too.” I admit I get a little defensive, but I’m nervous.
Then, in the most predictable-for-a-teenager move she can make, she rolls her eyes while groaning, “Whatever.” She pushes herself off the wall she’s been leaning against this whole time and stomps up the stairs.
Jake comes in from the kitchen, where he has been cleaning up like the obedient little husband I have him trained to be. More likely, he was all too happy to avoid George.
“Hey Miranda, weren’t you going to do some grocery shopping tonight? You should probably head out before it gets too late.”
Is he covering for me? I could kiss that man!
