I helped Simon to his feet, prepared to retreat to the judge’s table. Lucy joined us on the stage, holding Lucas’s hand. Before I could step away, she grabbed me by the utility belt, pulling me in with the trio. “Thewholefamily.”
She pushed me next to Simon, who spun me about. With his arms around my waist, he hooked his foot behind mine, sweeping me off my feet. Simon dipped me before planting a kiss on the lips for the entire convention to see. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and the audience cheered.
“We have a winner!” Peter shouted.
Me. I was the winner, and I couldn’t have done it without Simon, Amanda, Jon, and the rest of Firefly.
“Ew. Heroes don’t kiss bad guys,” Lucas said.
In our love story… they absolutely did.
A BIGGER TABLE
“Did you wash your hands?”
Lucas nodded quickly…tooquickly. I didn’t trust him.
We were surrounded in a flurry of motion as people moved between the house and the backyard. If he thought I’d let him get away, he had another thing coming.
“Lucas. Michael. Peterson,” Lucy’s voice dropped an octave, emphasizing each name. His eyes widened as he spotted his mom watching him from inside the house. “Are you telling the truth?”
Caught in a lie, his shoulders slumped. Silently, he rolled up his sleeves. I turned him about and gave him a gentle shove toward the backdoor. His feet scuffed against the patio as he made a melodramatic exit.
Lucy held the door open for him, ushering her son inside. Under one arm, she had placemats, and the other, cloth napkins. She shook her head as she gave me a gentleelbow to the ribs. I wanted to chuckle that Mom had dragged her into the craziness of dinner night. So far, Lucy and Mom have been getting along great.
“It’s all in the delivery.”
“Lucas Michael?—”
“Bolder. Emphasize each syllable.”
“Lucas. Michael. Peterson.”
“Better. You just need practice.”
“Jason Wesley Cowan.” My back straightened. I ran through everything I had done since I arrived. Had I tracked mud? Did I take the last cookie? What the hell had I?—
“Still got it,” Mom said as she scurried by, bringing the plates to the table.
She and Lucy laughed as they prepared the place settings. Lucy didn’t realize it, but Mom had already adopted her as family. She hadn’t admitted it, but Mom would be forever grateful to have a child in the house again. She didn’t care how it happened. She needed a grandchild to spoil rotten. At least now, I didn’t have to worry about her kidnapping one from the elementary school.
“I’ve got the silverware,” Amanda said. “Jason, take these and go help your mother.” She handed me a box of Mom’s good silverware. If that didn’t show the seriousness of tonight’s dinner, nothing would. I couldn’t recall a dinner where Mom broke out the set she received as a wedding present all those years ago. They’d have been far too fancy for our TV trays and meatloaf.
The table inside the house would never accommodate this adopted family. Simon and I had wandered Twice-Told Tales and found it hidden amongst the junk. Reclaimed from wood in the mill, it served as the perfect symbol of Firefly. I’d have to thank Abraham for helping us get it into the backyard.
I watched as Lucy counted everybody in the backyard. As she set out the mats. Seven people came and went from the back door. She’d roll out the light blue mats, and Mom followed behind, setting plates on them. Without being asked, Lucy set out an eighth placemat.
Mom covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. Simon must have explained the family tradition. The attention to detail had secured her place at the table. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mom referred to her as a daughter after that. It didn’t take much to make Mom a happy woman.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“My pleasure.” She didn’t know how much a single gesture meant to Mom… and to me.
I set the silverware on the table and returned the playful jab to the ribs. “You’re her favorite.”
“Oh, I know.” Taking the silverware from their slots in the box, she shooed me away. “Go make sure Simon isn’t lecturing Gerald on how to cook a steak.”
The sun had set behind the mountains, casting all of Firefly in a light glow. The chill of the autumn air promised snow before too long. We had transitioned from t-shirts to our favorite sweaters and hoodies. For two months out ofthe year, we had relief from the mosquitoes before needing shovels.
