“I’ve got another call.”
“We’re not done with this discussion, old man,” Harper said severely.
Oakley clapped a hand over her mouth to smother a laugh – but even Trent looked amused.
“What did you just call me?” he asked.
“You callmeyoung lady! You say, ‘We’re not done with this discussion, young lady.’ You say it all the time!”
“That issonot the same thing,” Hayden told her.
“It is!”
“Is not.”
“Enough,” Oakley said firmly.
“We’re not done!” Harper shouted when Trent stepped away from the table.
“Then I guess we’ll have to pick this discussion back up another time.” He moved to ruffle her hair again, but she slapped his hand away.
He shot Oakley a look like,Would you deal with this?
That was Trent, she thought with a sigh as he disappeared into his office.
He was a perfect parent in theory, but who was left to put all of that theory into practice ninety-nine percent of the time? Who actually made things happen and kept their lives running?
Mom. It was always Mom.
5
Laurie
“Do you mean it?” Mia looked awestruck. “I don’t have to go to school ever again?”
“I can’t see the future,” Laurie said and signed, “but if I have any say in the matter, you don’t have to go back to your old school.”
“Will Dad make me go back?”
“I don’t know. We might have to compromise on another school here in Pualena, but I’d like to homeschool you if I can.”
Mia’s face lit up. “I could just stay with you all the time? And Pete? Can you homeschool Pete too?”
Laurie chuckled. “I don’t know. They have some decisions to make too. We’ll see what happens. For now, just enjoy spending the summer with your cousins.”
OK,Mia signed.I love you!
“I love you too.” Laurie opened her arms, and Mia nearly tackled her with a hug. Then she ran downstairs in search of breakfast.
Anne cooked for a crowd every morning, so that was one thing off Laurie’s plate – but it was also a deterrent to going down to the kitchen herself.
It was difficult to eat at all when she was so consumed by worry, but starving herself only made the anxiety ten times worse… so after puttering around the small bedroom for a few minutes, she followed her daughter downstairs.
It was a chaotic morning, with nine guests crammed around the table in addition to the family.
Laurie was grateful that she’d left her hearing aids upstairs; with so many people talking all at once, it was always a hopeless jumble. At least this way, it was a quiet jumble.
She wove through the crowd and poured herself a cup of the mocha that Anne had made.
