Quinn nods. “All those comments about blood relatives make sense now.”
“Poor Margaret, feeling responsible for her sister’s assault all these years.” I attack the squash as if it’s responsible. “Whatever happened to Junie?”
“I asked Margaret about her this afternoon.” Quinn slides a baking dish of seasoned chicken pieces into the oven. “She said Junie became an elementary school principal, then died of pneumonia in her late fifties. She never married, never even dated, apparently. Margaret said Junie kind of ‘lost her spark’ after the assault. She didn’t want to do anything but study and work.”
There ought to be a special place in hell for men like Mr. Earl. I aggressively chop a tomato. “That monster scarred both sisters for life.”
Quinn somberly nods. “That’s what childhood trauma does.” She gazes out the window at the two little girls laughing and racing around the backyard. “Losing a parent is a trauma, too. That’s why it’s so important to make Lily feel loved and secure.”
“You’re doing a really good job of that.”
“You are, too.” She meets my gaze, her eyes soft. “You know, I didn’t want you in the picture at first, but you’ve turned out to be a wonderful addition to our lives.”
The words mean more to me than she can know. “The feeling’s mutual.”
The air grows charged as we look at each other. She breaks the spell by turning, opening a cabinet, and taking out a bowl. “We need to talk to Lily about you moving into her old house.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s do that as soon as Alicia leaves.”
The back door bursts open. Lily and Alicia bound inside, panting like puppies. “We’re dyin’ of thirst! Can we get some water?”
“Absolutely.” Quinn smiles, opening another cabinet and taking down two glasses.
—
TWENTY MINUTES LATER,Alicia’s father pulls into the drive. Quinn waves through the kitchen window as Alicia scrambles into her safety seat and her father buckles her in. “We want to talk to you about something,” Quinn says as Lily comes inside. “Let’s go sit on the sofa for a moment.”
We traipse to the living room, and Lily plops down between us.
Quinn draws a deep breath. “You know how your old house is just sitting there empty?”
“Yeah,” Lily says, her voice downcast. “I hoped Mommy was there, but she isn’t.” She climbs into Quinn’s lap and sucks her thumb. “An’ a whole lot of stuff is gone.”
Quinn holds her for a moment, just rubbing her back. “That’s because your grams was planning to sell it. Houses are meant to be lived in and cared for.”
“I don’ like the idea of other people livin’ there.”
“Well, what if it’s someone you really like?”
“Like who?”
“Well, since your daddy is staying in New Orleans instead of moving to Seattle, he needs a new place to live. So what would you think of him moving in there for a while?”
Lily pulls her thumb out of her mouth, turns her head, and looks at me. I can practically see the wheels turning in her brain as she ponders the idea.
“I promise I’ll take really good care of it and not scribble on the walls or anything,” I say.
She giggles.
“I think it would be nice to have Mr. Zack living so close,” Quinn says. “And I like the idea of him living there instead of strangers.”
“I like that, too!” Lily scrambles off Quinn’s lap and scampers into mine. “So you’ll be close ’nough you can walk over an’ see us?”
“That’s right.”
“So you can come tuck me in every night?”
