Josh, on the other hand, was hacking at his pasta with his knife, then using his fork to shovel it into his mouth.
She had some work to do with him.
“I have a project to do,” Josh announced, a piece of pasta flying out of his overstuffed mouth.
“Try not to speak with your mouth full, honey,” Mia reminded him. When he’d swallowed the food and had taken a sip of water, she asked him, “What kind of project?”
“Science. We have to make a life size human, then add in all his organs and bones and stuff. We’re getting the supplies this week and it’s due next Friday.” He grinned, and loaded more spaghetti on his fork, lifting it to his mouth. Then, remembering he wasn’t supposed to eat and speak at the same time, he dropped the fork to his plate. “We get to draw all the blood and guts and stuff. And then we have to present it to the class.”
Mia pressed her lips together. If there was one thing she didn’t need right now, it was a school project. She was already working hours each night on her proposals, plus they had football and church on the weekends, not including the work they were doing together on Sam’s house. Over the next few weeks they were going to paint the hallway.
“Maybe you should miss pee wee practice this week,” Mia suggested. “So we can get a headstart on the project.”
“No!” Josh frowned. “I really want to go to football. Noah says I can stay over again. Can’t we do it on Sunday?”
Mia sighed. “I don’t think we can complete it in one day.”
“I’ll work on it every night next week,” Josh promised. “Please, Mom.” He looked over at his brother. “Michael will help, won’t you? If Mom’s busy with her own work?”
Michael twirled another forkful of spaghetti. “You don’t need my help. You’re big enough to do it on your own.”
Mia caught her eldest’s eye. “It would really help me if you could work with Josh,” she told him. “I have a presentation next Friday I need to prepare for.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “What about my assignments?”
“You told me you had hardly any homework,” Mia pointed out.
“Okay, I’ll help him. But he has to listen and do as he’s told.”
“I will.” Josh’s face lit up. “I promise.”
Mia gave them a gentle smile. “Thank you,” she said softly. “That will help a lot.”
“You eating the rest of that?” Sam asked, pointing at Mia’s plate. She blinked because she’d almost forgotten he was there.
“It’s yours,” she said, passing her plate to him.
“Did practice go
okay tonight?” she asked Michael.
“Yeah. I’m officially in junior varsity.” Michael beamed proudly. “I get to play in the game next week.”
“That’s wonderful.” Mia leaned across the table and hugged him. He took it good naturedly, his face flushing with pleasure. “Congratulations, I’m proud of you.”
“I… ah… got a call from dad, too,” Michael told her, looking down at his plate as though it was the most interesting thing on Earth.
“Your dad called you?” Mia swallowed. Niall hadn’t spoken to either of her sons since he’d left. Hadn’t spoken to her, either. Only through their lawyers.
“Yeah. He’s called a couple of times.” Michael shrugged. “He wanted to know if he could visit soon. I told him about being on the football team, and he wants to see me play.”
“Is he coming to see me play, too?” Josh asked, his voice small.
Michael glanced at his little brother. “I didn’t tell him about your pee wee lessons. I should have. Sorry, kiddo. I’ll tell him next time he calls.”
Sam put his silverware on his plate and looked over at Mia. Running his finger along his bottom lip, he gave her a questioning look.
She shrugged at him.