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I’m restless and it’s taking too long, so I start bagging our groceries myself. I don’t want to be rude, but I can’t wait much longer. I feel like I’m going to burst.
“I can do that, Mr. H,” he says to me.
“That’s okay, you bag enough groceries in a day. I’ve got it.”
As soon as I pay, I grab the bags and practically bolt from the store. My adrenaline is pumping so hard I could probably run a marathon right now.
“Daaaad, what’s the hurry? Jeez,” Nora scolds as she struggles to match my stride.
“No hurry, sweetheart, I just don’t want your sandwich to get cold. Uncle D is expecting us,” I say.
I place the grocery bags on the floor of the truck and help Nora jump in and buckle up. We’re on the road in seconds, and thankfully, Dominick doesn’t live far.
I’m definitely speeding, and I hope the sheriff isn’t doing speed checks or I’ll be getting a ticket. Normally, when Nora is in the car, I’m a cautious driver. But right now, I barely even notice the trees as we go by.
We pull into Dom’s driveway. My truck is out of place in this neighborhood. This old beat-up thing definitely doesn’t fit in here.
“Wow, it looks like a castle,” Nora says in awe as I turn off the engine. “This issoomuch bigger than our house, Dad.”
My little one has no filter.
“It does look like a castle, huh. Let’s go knock on the door and spend some time with Uncle D.”
She runs up the long driveway and knocks on the door before I’m even next to her. In seconds, Dominick opens the door and Nora throws herself into his arms.
“Uncle D, is my grilled cheese ready?”
I chuckle. At least she has her priorities straight.
“Well nice to see you too, munchkin.” Dominick laughs, putting her down and letting her run into the house. “Your sandwich is on the table,” he calls after her.
“She just loves me for my food, doesn’t she?” Dominick asks as I get to the door. I don’t reply, gripping the magazines tightly in my hands. “Whatcha got there?”
I shove them at his chest and wait for him to take in what’s on the cover. Freezing, he looks at me, then back down at the magazine.
“Is this who I think it is?” he asks after a few seconds of scrutinizing.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
“Where did you see this?”
“At the checkout lane in the grocery store, you know where the racks of tabloids are. Miss Emily was ahead of me so I started browsing and saw this on the cover.” I walk further into the house and head to the kitchen where I smell coffee brewing.
“Who’s PenelopeMaxwell?” he asks as he follows me in.
“Dude, I don’t even know. I don’t have any social media and I didn’t get the chance to Google while I was in line. Can we use your computer?”
“Let me pour you a cup of caffeine and then we can go into the office. Is Nora good out here by herself to eat?”
“I’m good, Uncle D,” Nora says from behind him.
“Little ears,” I say as we both laugh.
Dom grabs two mugs, pours the coffee and creamer, and we head into his office. It’s right off the living room, so he stops at the huge flat screen TV and turns on cartoons for Nora.
“Hey Nora, you can come watch TV on the couch when you’re done if you want. I put on cartoons,” he yells.
“Thanks, Uncle D,” she answers. “This is such a good sandwich. Can you teach Dad how to make one like this? His are always burnt.”
