“Mr. and Mrs. Crosby, good morning. How are you enjoying the journey so far?” I asked.
“Oh, everything isperfect,” the woman answered. She glanced down at Noah. “Are you having fun, young man?”
He stopped messing with sugar packets to answer her, beaming. “Yes, because good surprises are happening!”
His eyes slid to me, and my heart sank when I saw the glee in his expression.
“Oh? And what sort of surprises?” the woman played along good naturedly.
“Uh, Noah’s talking about some of the exciting activities we have planned in the Kids’ Club. There’s going to be even more cupcake fun in the kitchen coming up. And some art projects as well.”
“And other stuff,” Noah added, rocking back and forth manically.
I ground my teeth together.
“Well, our granddaughter Madison is having a wonderful time, and I bet she’ll tell us all about the fun you’re planning.”
“Maybe,” Noah said mysteriously. “But sometimes special surprises are just for three people. Right, Daddy?”
I was absolutely screwed.
“I’m sure Madison will have plenty of exciting stories for you,” I replied, ignoring my vibrating son.
There was no way Noah was going to be able to hold onto news this big. But still, I had to try.
We watched the couple walk away, and the moment they were out of earshot, I leaned closer to Noah to whisper in his ear.
“Bud, look at me,” I said in a low voice.
He stopped wiggling to take me in with wide eyes. He could probably tell by my expression that I meant business.
“Cabinonly. No hints about the license, or jokes, or anything, okay?”
“I know,” he said innocently. “I’m good at following the rules.”
I gave him a nod, but my heart sank when he started singingNina and Daddy, sitting in a tree…
11
NINA
“Did you eat a million chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast today?” I asked Noah. “Because you’re full of energy.”
It was our last full day of sailing, so all of the kids were amped up, but something was different about Noah this morning. He’d walked into the Kids’ Club wearing his backpack on his chest, beaming. He talked to everyone as we got ready to kick off the day, even the older kids who didn’t always have much patience with the littler ones. After he’d made his rounds, he shadowed me, helping me hand out the construction paper, glitter, and glue for our morning project. It was like Noah was tethered to me.
Not that I minded.
The change in him suggested growth and confidence, two developments that meant Logan and I were on the right track in helping him heal. He was so different from the broken child he’d been when we set sail.
The part that nagged at me was howsuddenhis transition seemed. He’d been doing great, making steady progress each day, but what I was witnessing this morning was weeks’ worth of progress overnight. It suggested he’d experienced a major change for the better.
Now I just needed to figure out what it was. Maybe Logan had agreed to keep Ariel?
Noah was still standing right beside me as the rest of the kids got to work creating their sea creatures. He was still wearing his backpack, backward and hugging it to his chest. It made me wonder if he’d smuggled Ariel into the Club.
I gave his shoulder a squeeze, taking care to make sure none of the other kids noticed. I didn’t want to come across like I was playing favorites. I lovedallof the kids on board.
I just happened to be super invested in the little one beside me.
