“We’re doing great.” Zadie’s smile was soft and gentle, just like the rest of her. “It’s so good to see the two of you together. This feels like old times. Whenever we called Zara, you were always in the background.”
“She couldn’t get rid of me,” I said, and Zara laughed, settling against my chest.
Amir raised a brow. “Don’t think she tried too hard.”
“That’s true. I didn’t.” Zara grinned at her parents. “Sorry I haven’t been great at keeping up with phone calls. You know how I get when I’m out here. I get consumed, and the days fly by faster than I can believe.”
“You’ll be better going forward,” Amir replied, no question in his tone.
“I’ll try to be better,” Zara sort of agreed.
Zadie’s laugh was light and airy. “I’m glad you’re finding what you were looking for, even if you’re much too far away.”
“At least you have Zane to fuss over,” Zara said.
“Pfft.” Amir shook his head. “Last night, he implied we’re being too needy and can’t stop by whenever we like.”
Zadie patted his cheek. “He only asked us to call first. I think we might have interrupted something.”
Zara burst out laughing. “Oh no. You didn’t! Tell me you didn’t go into their house without knocking.”
“We knocked,” he gritted out. “Might not’ve waited for them to answer, though.”
“We?” Zadie blinked at him. “There was no ‘we.’ You got impatient and used your emergency key against my advice.”
He shuddered, his brow crumpling. “I regretted it immediately. There are some things a father should never see.”
Despite Zadie and Zara’s laughter, I was internally cringing for Zane and Steven. It was a good thing we were too far for them to pop in without warning. Though…I had a feeling they wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“We’re lucky Zane didn’t rescind our key-holding privileges,” Zadie said.
Amir threw his arm around his wife. “You were right, Mama. I admit it.”
Zadie’s cheeks flushed with pleasure. “All it took for you to admit to being wrong was seeing your son’s b—”
He covered her mouth with his hand. “Never say it. Please. I’m trying to forget it, and if you say it, that won’t be possible.”
Zara jumped in to save the conversation, turning the camera around to show them the scenery. She zoomed in on the river, then scanned left and right, showing them the horses nearby and a hawk soaring overhead.
Zadie sighed. “Beautiful as always, my love. And you look happy.”
Zara smiled and pressed her forehead against my chin. “I really am.”
Her parents exchanged a glance. He scratched his chin. She nibbled on her bottom lip.
“What’s going on?” Zara asked. “What aren’t you saying? Mom, are you okay? Are you—”
Zadie raised a hand before Zara upset herself. “No, no. I’m fine. I had a checkup last week and got a perfect bill of health.”
“She’ll live forever,” Amir said, like if he commanded forcefully enough, it would come true.
Zadie smiled serenely. “You just…seem so happy, I wasn’t sure if now was the time to bring up a job opening I heard about.”
Zara leaned forward, putting distance between us. “Oh. A job opening for me?” Zadie nodded, and Zara’s shoulders sagged. “I guess I have to start thinking about that.”
“You have time, baby girl,” Amir said. “But your mama thought this would be a good fit for you. It’s an accounting position at Zane’s hospital. You might get the chance to see your brother on a regular basis if you’re working in the same place, and you know he likes it there.”
“He does,” she agreed. “Can you send me the listing?”
