“Yeah, that wasn’t very funny,” he admitted. “But no punishment at all. That’s my plea here. It’s fun to have, but I don’t need it for the field trip. And I’ll find another way to store it. That was my bad. Maybe I’ll keep it at the gun store until I figure something out. Doesn’t matter, none of this matters. I just want things to be better for us all, and this is one way I can think of doing that. Nina?”
Nina shifted her gaze to Maggie, who appeared placid but uncomfortable, like she was trying hard not to react to Simon’s overture in any way. She certainly appeared to be actively avoiding eye contact with him, though for a teen that was no surprise.
“Okay,” Nina said, rising from the bed, putting herself between Maggie and Simon. “How about we shake hands and make a pledge to try and work harder to support each other.”
“Deal,” Simon said, jumping on the offer, extending his hand fast as a whip crack. Maggie held out a few beats before extending her arm to give Simon an extremely tepid handshake. Glen would have made some remark, as he believed strongly that a firm handshake and solid eye contact were signs of maturity, but Nina had had enough for one day to try any additional corrective measures on her kid. She was tired, oh so tired, and wondering how the heck she was going to get up in the morning and do it all over again.
You’ll do it by putting one foot in front of the other, she told herself. Millions of people do. Nina kissed the top of Maggie’s head, taking in the smell of marigold-scented shampoo, and then turned to Simon.
“Please tell me I don’t have to make dinner,” she said.
“You don’t have to make dinner,” he answered with a dimpled smile. “It’s grilled chicken with lemon, capers, and rosemary. Already cooked.”
“Oh, thank God,” Nina breathed out.
“How about you take off your work clothes and I’ll set the table—with Maggie’s help.”
The look he sent Maggie made it clear she owed him and not to complain. Maggie rose reluctantly from her chair.
“I’ll have a glass of wine waiting for you downstairs, but I’m going to let you all eat without me,” Simon said. “Want to get to the gun store before they close and see about fixing it up before the field trip. Might be able to avoid some disappointed kids.”
Nina made a kissing sound that made Maggie sneer.
“Thank you … thank you,” she said. “I’m a working woman now. I need to be pampered.”
“You are a superstar,” Simon said, “and soon you’ll be a well-fed one. Maggie?”
Maggie slunk out of the room with footsteps that were close to being a stomp. Nina let out a big sigh once she was gone.
“You are a lot more understanding than I would have been. I was going to take her phone and ground her for a month.”
“And give her more reason to hate me?” Simon said. “No, thank you. Let’s let this go and hope for smoother seas ahead. It’s all going to be fine.”
Simon bent down and deposited a gentle kiss on Nina’s forehead.
“Tonight,” he said, this time planting a quick kiss on her lips as he took her into his arms. Nina sank into his embrace and felt the taxing day leave her body. “You look amazing,” Simon said. “And you are amazing. I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
“Are you about to say you complete me?” Nina asked, giving him a playful pinch so he knew she was referencing that famous movie quote in a loving way. She pulled back to appraise him thoughtfully. “Thank you for being you,” she said.
Simon kissed Nina again before leaving Maggie’s bedroom to deal with dinner prep and his broken musket. Nina showered and ate a quiet meal with Connor and Maggie, the way it had been before the short-term trio had become a quartet. There was no talk of the gun, or getting along, or any weighty subject. Conversation was limited to school and logistics, including a reminder that Maggie was scheduled to get another x-ray on her injured ankle.
After dinner, Connor helped with the dishes, while Maggie, who had set the table, got a reprieve. Simon returned a few hours later with the good news that his musket could be repaired without the break being too noticeable, and might even be ready for Friday’s field