Her mouth formed a perfect little “O.” “I thought you could tell I was acting.”
“We couldn’t,” Lu said.
Abbi grinned. “Because I’m such a good actor, right? That’s why you believed me?”
“No more acting,” I said on a held exhale. That had been a lot. The worry for Abbi had swamped me with adrenalin and it was going to take a while for it to bleed off.
“You believed me too,” Abbi said to me. “I’m amazing!”
“You are not to do that again,” Lu repeated.
“Lie or act?”
“Either,” I said. “Just don’t do either. Don’t lie about being hurt,” I added.
“Except when I really need to. Like when that old weird guy is trying to make you lose your temper and punch him, right?”
“I never lose my temper.”
Lu gave me a wide-eyed look.
I felt the blush heat my face and neck. “Often,” I amended. “I don’t lose my temper very often. And sometimes punching people is the way to fix things.”
Lu pointed at Abbi. “No lying. No acting.”
“All right,” Abbi said. “But I’m sort of acting all the time.” She grinned, and her nose twitched. The happy twinkle in her eyes was moon bright.
“Hello there!” a male voice called out. “You folks need any help?”
Bill, the owner of the coffee shop, stood on the sidewalk across the street. He was an older man who could tell a cracking good story and pour a cup of coffee that was so rich, I’d asked for a second before the first was done.
“We’re good,” I said, turning toward him.
He’d rolled up the sleeves of his green button down, and his balding head was bare to the sun. “Is your daughter all right, then?”
“She is, she is.” I started his way, for no other reason than to work off some of the tension bottled up in me. “Just bumped her knees playing. You know how kids are.”
“Sure,” he said. “Little firecrackers full of energy.”
“That’s right,” I said. “Thanks for asking, though. I appreciate it.”
“Pleasure, pleasure. You folks planning to be around for lunch? We’re making a goulash that will knock your hat off.”
My stomach rumbled, but I gave another wave. “We have an appointment to keep out in Oklahoma,” I lied, “and need to get going.”
“We could order you up some to go.”
I opened my mouth to say no again, but my stomach growled louder.
Lu was watching. I could feel her attention just like I had when I’d been a spirit. I’d know where she was, just as she’d know where I was, from half a state away.
We each carried a part of each other’s soul.
Lula, my wife, my soul, was amused.
“How long would it take to box some to go?” I hedged, just to be polite. Just to be friendly.
The man’s smile shone like a silver dime. “No time at all. Why don’t you folks come back inside? It’s nice and cool. We’ll see if there isn’t a little sweet for your girl there.”
