I sit down, clearing my throat awkwardly.
“Mac and cheese!” Kira declares happily.
“And chicken nuggets!” Kelsey adds.
“How did you know?” I ask quietly.
“I went to speak with Stella and…”
“Did you…” I stammer in shock, wondering if he told her the truth.
“I had the chef make a note of all of their favorite foods,” he interrupts me.
I nod quickly, nervously fidgeting with my napkin.
“So, girls,” he asks once the dinner is dished up and everyone is happily eating. “Do you like Chicago?”
“Oh yes, we went to the park, and there were ducks and swirls,” Kira says, still chewing.
“Swirls? What is that?” he asks, grinning at her.
“Squirrels,” Kelsey answers for her sister. Kira nods in agreement.
“That’s what I said,” she declares. “We threw nuts at them,” she adds.
“Do you mean youfedthem nuts?” Josiah laughs.
“Oh no, we throw it. Then the swirls must try to catch it, and then we knock them on the head like this,” Kira taps her forehead.
“And the squirrels don’t mind?” he laughs.
“No, they pick up the nuts and put them all into their mouths like hamsters inside their cheeks,” she explains.
“My father used to…” Josiah starts, and my heart leaps into my throat. Is this how he is going to ease them into the truth?
I can’t help myself when I interrupt him.
“Kira, eat your food, I’m sure Mommy’s boss doesn’t want to hear all your stories in one night,” I tell her, trying to drop the hint that I want to maintain the story I’ve told the girls and that I'm not ready for them to know anything else yet.
Josiah glares at me but doesn’t push.
“My favorite dinner is cheeseburgers,” he declares, continuing his conversation with the girls.
“Then why aren’t you eating cheeseburgers?” Kelsey asks. I’m surprised how quickly she’s warming up to him.
“Because I wanted to tryyourfavorite food tonight. Maybe tomorrow night we should try mine?”
“Okay, I’ll try yours. But it better be good,” Kira nods sternly.
***
After dinner, I send the girls up to their room to play for a bit while I start clearing the table.
Josiah stops me. “We have staff who do this, Kayla,” he scolds me.
I sigh and put the plates down. “I’m going to head up to bed, then. Thank you for dinner.”
Kelsey comes bursting back into the dining room and surprises me to my core by bowling into Josiah with a hug. “Thank you so much!” she yelps. “I love it.” Then she bolts out again.
