“Good,” I said, taking my seat beside her. “They will be traveling with us often, and one or two will accompany you when you’re out and about with Pete. You understand, don’t you? I’d be devastated if something happened to either of you.”
She smiled appreciatively. “I understand. Especially after what happened. Has there been a breakthrough in your wife’s case?”
“Which one?”
“The hit and run.”
“Unfortunately not. The case has gone completely cold and will be wrapped up as such.”
“Are you serious?” she asked, appalled that such a high-profile case would be closed.
“Yes, they’re closing the case.”
At my insistence, of course.
“I’m not upset. They did what they could with the limited information available. One day, karma will catch up to the animal responsible for killing my wife.”
“Amen,” she mumbled as our conversation lulled.
“I hope you’re hungry,” I proclaimed brightly, motioning to the brunch spread.
“You didn’t have to do all this, but I appreciate it.”
“Nonsense. I knew you’d probably be too nervous to eat breakfast this morning.”
“You think of everything,” she expressed.
“Hm. Some might claim I tend to overthink, but being mindful and prepared is crucial, which is ironic considering that I forgot to bring out Pete’s highchair. Please help yourself while I’m gone.”
I returned a short time later and found Kiyah making what appeared to be a child’s plate with finely cut fruit and pancakes.
“What else do you want? Point to it. Yeah, no, I don’t think the peppers are the move. How about a little bacon?” she pressed, holding a strip out for him. He took it and bit into it, giving her a toothy grin of satisfaction. “Awesome. You love bacon. I think we’ll get along just fine.”
Yes. We will get along just fine. As long as you follow the rules….
Kiyah
“This is… intense,” I expressed as I browsed Todd’s schedule for the following week. We’d finished brunch and had a tour of his magnificent home. Pete was down for a nap, leaving us to complete the interview without any distractions.
“Hm,” he hummed as he drank his tea from a teacup my grandmother would kill to add to her collection. “Unfortunately, this is what my lighter schedule looks like.”
I scoffed and held up the tablet. “This is light?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Jesus, how are you even functioning?”
He laughed faintly and stared into his teacup. “Some days, I don’t even know myself. I’ve operated at this pace for so long that it feels natural. Typically, I don’t know what to do with myself when I have a day off. That’s where you come in.”
I blew a raspberry and sank against the couch. “I hope you enjoy sleeping in and watching movies all day in bed,” I joked.
“Is that something you do often?”
“No, it was something my uncle and aunt did when we were younger. If we spent the night or weekend with them, Uncle Ant would wake up before everyone else and make a breakfast buffet to feed all nine of us. We’d file into the kitchen half awake anddisheveled, and he and Ms. Simone would help us fix our plates and pour juice and milk into sippy cups or cups with lids and crazy straws before taking us to their bedroom. Their bed was huge—it was bigger than a California King.”
“Wyoming, Texas, or Alaskan King?”
“Texas King,” I confirmed.