“Yes,” I said. “But we’re going to eat now.”
Noah ordered pancakes. Lily asked for chicken tenders. I ordered coffee and fries because I knew that if I tried to eat anything heavier, I would fall apart.
When the food came, Lily stared at it as if she needed permission first.
I smiled at her. “Eat, baby.”
She picked up a fry, then paused. “Will Grandma be mad?”
I reached across the table and held her hand.
“Grandma does not get a vote anymore.”
The Photo Vanessa Sent
By the time we finished eating, I had six missed calls, twelve text messages, and one photo from Vanessa that I refused to open while my children were with me.
I paid the bill, left Marlene a tip I could hardly afford, and drove home through streets bordered by bare trees and old snow.
Noah fell asleep first, his head tilted against the car seat. Lily stayed awake, clutching the small cardboard box Marlene had given her with two cookies inside.
