“We wewen’t wascals, Da,” his daughter says.“Weyow angews.Miss Nessa said so.”
“Nessa?”Trace laughs.“I’m calling you that.”
Before I can tell him to quit, Rory stomps her foot.“I’m onwy cawing her Nessa kicause Da says Ican’tcaw her Ma yet.”
Oh, wow.
Trace whistles.
“Okay.”Jack takes Rory’s hand, turning toward me, his flushed face brightening more.“Any chance you didn’t understand what she said because of her speech delay?”
I laugh.“Jack, it’s fine.She’s the cutest little girl in the world.”
“Hey.”Now Trina’s frowning.
“Other than you, duh,” I grab her and swing her around.“Stop being a stinker.”
“A stinker?”Ryan starts to run in circles, dodging his dad.“Trina’s a stinker.Trina’s a stinker.”
Jack shakes his head.“I owe you for watching them.Sorry.”
“Truly,” I say.“We had a wonderful time.Now the frogs they caught?”I glance at Trace.
He’s smiling.
“I’m assuming they will eventually recover from today’s trauma, but they seemed healthy when it started at least.”
“All the frogs survived the kids’ games,” Trace says.“I can confirm that no frogs died.”
“Oh, praise be,” Jack shouts.“My mother’s finally here.”
Rory and Ryan both start cheering, and Ryan takes off toward her.
“Jack!”Someone behind him is shouting, and when I follow the sound, it’s his coach.“Jack, we need to go over next week’s schedule.”
“Any chance you can walk them over to my mother?”But he’s already passing Rory’s hand to me, and she’s tugging toward her grandmother.How delightful.
“Oh, Mom, is this their grandma?”Trina’s skipping toward Jack’s mother, and I worry she’s going to barrel right into her.I jog to catch up, trip on something, and wind up lying flat on my face.
“It looks like your boys get their athletic ability from their father.”His mother’s as awful as ever.
Only, Trace is laughing like she’s a stand-up comedian.“Good one,” he says.“My dad Jason was much more coordinated than Mom.”
“You’re her oldest?”When Jack’s mother tilts her head, she reminds me of Niamh.I swear, that’s exactly how she looks before she pounces on a mouse.Normally, I like watching her hunt, only, in this scenario,I’mthe mouse.
I stand up and brush off my now-grass-stained pants.“So good to see you, Mrs.Shanahan.”
“You really missed a great practice,” Trace says.“Jack was on fire.”
Mrs.Shanahan turns slowly, her face impassive.“He’s always on fire.I can’t possibly watch every practice.”
Trace frowns, but he doesn’t argue, at least.Then his chin lifts.“My mom runs a business and works part time.She has three kids, not two, and she never misses a practice.”
It’s slow, but a smile spreads across Mrs.Shanahan’s face.“And your fire, does that come from your father as well?”
Trace is scowling now.“No, that’s all from my mom.Dad was a cream puff.”
“It’s been a delight to see you again, Vanessa, but don’t let me keep you.”Mrs.Shanahan inclines her head, grabs Ryan’s hand, and half-drags the bouncing kids toward her shiny, black Range Rover.
