“You need a water pick,” Mabel says. “That thing would spray that skin right out of your teeth. Good as new.”
“It might spray my skin right off my gums too,” Esther says, shaking her head.
“We just want to say hi,” Memaw says. “And I’m getting two bags. One for Trevor and his family and one for Aiden, Em and the kids. Oh! Make it three. I’d better get one for Karina while I’m at it.”
“Still spoiling the grandkids after all these years,” Mabel says.
“What good is it to have a grandmother if she’s not spoiling you?” Memaw asks.
“That’s a fact,” Esther says.
“I love my grandma,” Jack tells the three seniors across the table from him.
“Me too!” Levi adds.
“She’s a keeper,” Mabel agrees with a smile.
EJ grabs three bags of the fresh kettle corn and hands it over to Memaw. She puts it in a reusable grocery bag that she pulls out of her purse just like she’s Mary Poppins. Then she hands EJ her money and smiles at me.
“Looks like you might have a secret,” she smiles softly, her words coming out nearly under her breath and directed to me alone.
I just smile and whisper back, “Don’t we all have a few secrets?”
Esther says, “What was that? She might have a sneaker?” Then she glances down at my shoes. “Looks like she’s got two to be exact.”
Memaw laughs softly. “Esther, I’ve told you not to leave the house without your hearing aids.”
“I don’t like how they look on me.”
“Suit yourself,” Memaw says.
“Shoot myself?” Esther’s brow draws in and she scowls. “Isn’t that a bit extreme?”
Memaw shakes her head, holds up the bag full of popcorn bags and says, “Thank you all.”
The twins shout, “You’re welcome!”
Jack adds, “Don’t shoot yourself, Miss Esther.”
“She won’t,” EJ assures him. “They were just joking around.”
Levi makes pew pew pew noises and holds his fingers up at Jack. Jack lifts his hands, ready to shoot back.
“No shootouts in the booth,” EJ says to the boys.
They pocket their finger guns and listen to him.
That’s another thing I’m barely getting used to. I’ve been the one to correct, guide and discipline for years. Mom pitched in, but it all fell to me. EJ eased right into his role as a stepparent to the boys. They take him very seriously—at least, for now they do.
He told me he wanted to take the weight off my shoulders, and he has—in more ways than I anticipated.
His arms slip around my waist from behind me. “You look beautiful today. Glowing, even. Did I tell you that?”
“About a hundred times,” I say, sinking back into him. “But you can tell me a hundred and two.”
“One more left, huh?” he chuckles softly. “I’d better save that up for a special moment. Maybe after the boys are in bed.”
He places a soft kiss on my temple.
