Or was Mallory just overanalyzing everything?
Dot leaned forward in Ariel’s lap and reached for her mother. “Oh, it looks like she wants her mama.” Ariel handed the baby over to Sasha and was immediately taken over by a full-body yawn. “Man, we haven’t even had dinner and I’m ready to call it a night. I know it was a short car ride, but it felt like a lifetime.”
“I think your father’s almost done in there,” Callie said. “We should be eating soon and then you can go right to bed. I’ve got the master bedroom ready for you and the kids. I brought up some extra pillows and sleeping bags in case Micah or Becca want to make their own beds on the floor or something.”
“Yeah, and Hannah can crash with me,” Mallory added but then paused. “Unless she still kicks in her sleep like she did when she was younger. Then I’m not so sure.”
Ariel cringed with a guilty expression. “Oh, she absolutely does... It’s even worse now after her growth spurt.”
Mallory shook her head and laughed. “A little warning would’ve been nice!”
“Sorry! I forgot. It’s been so long since I shared a bed with her...” Ariel sighed. “And with the way Hannah’s been behaving lately, I think she’d rather shave her head than be close to me. She barely even lets me hug her anymore. At least, not when her friends are around.”
“That’s normal.” Callie smiled. “All three of you kids went through that stage of never wanting to be near David and me. Then you got over it. Mostly.” She smirked at Mallory. “You kept at least a small piece of that well into adulthood.”
Mallory ignored this comment, only because it was too true for her to address on an empty stomach. She turned to her sister for support, but Ariel’s weary eyes were staring off listlessly, as if she might doze off at any moment. When she noticed Mallory’s gaze on her, she laughed at herself.
“Sorry,” Ariel said, “I’m fading fast.”
“It’s okay. I get it. If you wanna go lay down, I could bring you some dinner when it’s done.”
Ariel raised a brow. “You are offering toserveme in bed? Who are you and what have you done with my little sister?”
“Ha! Ha!” Mallory rolled her eyes. “Forget about it if you’re gonna be that way.”
“Mallory’s been a huge help around the house lately,” Callie added, only amplifying Mallory’s embarrassment. “She cleans, runs errands, it’s really nice.”
“You don’t have to say it like it’s rare for me to be helpful,” Mallory muttered, her gaze narrowed with irritation. “I’m almost forty and you’re talking about me like a kid who just learned how to do their chores.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Callie sighed. “Don’t twist my words. I was taking your side.”
“It’s not—” But Mallory abandoned her own defense, it wasn’t worth it, and she knew her mother hadn’t meant to be condescending. “Never mind. But in the name of being helpful, I’m going into town tomorrow to see if any other local shops are hiring, so if anyone needs something while I’m out, let me know.”
“Oh!” Ariel perked up. “Can you grab some of those Cup-O-Noodles? Micah is obsessed with them. It’d be good to have some on hand this week in case he’s picky.”
“We bought some mac and cheese,” Callie said. “Does he still like that?”
“Depends on the brand.” Ariel shook her head and shrugged. “Now he’s decided there are only two kinds he likes, and he refuses to eat the other ones. He hasn’t developed the same pickiness with the noodles yet though thankfully.”
“I’ll pick some up, no problem.” Mallory winked and then glanced at Sasha. “What about you? Do you need anything? Some hand soap?”
Sasha’s wide eyes stayed on her for a beat. “Huh?”
“Hand soap,” she repeated herself. “Or another kind of soap? Mom said you went into the master bath earlier looking for some, I thought I’d offer to buy some if you’re out. So, what kind do you need?”
Sasha opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came. Callie jumped to her rescue. “It was body wash. I had extra,” she answered. “I let her take the whole bottle since we don’t need two in our shower anyway, so there’s no need for you to get more.”
Ariel’s eyes darted between her mother and sister, as if she was waiting for an explanation. However, before she could ask any questions, David opened the sliding back door and stuck his head outside. “Dinner’s ready!”
*
“So—who’s that lady again?”
Hannah sat on the edge of the bed in her pajamas, talking to her aunt while she scrolled on the old iPad her mother let her use—as long as she promised not to download any social mediaapps. Mallory didn’t recognize the app the young girl was on, but she had a feeling it was one that Ariel wouldnotapprove of. She made a mental note to learn more about it and then decide whether she needed to intervene or not.
“Hmm? Oh, you mean Sasha,” Mallory replied. She was seated at the desk and ran a brush through her hair, braiding it back for the night. “She’s a single mom your grandparents invited live with them for a while. Didn’t your mom tell you?”
“Sort of. She just said there was gonna be some lady and a baby staying here. She only told us when we were halfway here.”
