“No brothers or sisters?”
“No one.”
Maggie nods. “Okay. Fine. You’ll stay at my place.”
“What? No…. I can’t impose on you like that.”
“It’s not an imposition. You’ll take Erin’s room. She can sleep with me.”
“Oh God. I don’t know what to do.”
“Then for the time being, you’ll do what I tell you,” Maggie says.
Heidi nods, relieved that someone else is making the decisions. “Okay, but it’ll just be for a day or two. Till I figure out what to do.”
“Take as long as you need. Just know that whatever you decide, you and your baby are going to be fine.”
“You promise?”
Maggie takes a deep breath. “I promise.”
“I win!” Ben shouts, his hands overflowing with errant pieces of apple pie, as the three boys rush to Olivia’s side.
“So, you did.” Olivia watches them toss the pieces of pie into the garbage bin. “Sean, do you have any loose bills on you?”
Sean is reaching into pockets he knows are empty when Nick stops his hand. “Allow me,” he says, giving his younger son a five-dollar bill. “And one dollar for the runner-up.” He lays a dollar bill in the palm of Leo’s hand.
“Cool,” Ben says.
“Cool,” Leo echoes.
“Don’t I get anything?” Tyler asks.
Nick laughs. “You get the incentive to try harder next time. You can’t keep letting your little brother get the best of you.”
“That’s not fair,” Tyler grouses.
“Life’s not fair,” his father says.
Ain’t that the truth,Sean thinks as the front door to the Wilson house opens and Dani steps outside.
“Mom,” Tyler calls, running to her and burying his head in her side.
“What’s the matter, sweet pea?”
“He’s upset ’cause he didn’t get any money,” Ben yells from the middle of the road.
“Am not.”
“Are, too. I got five dollars ’cause I picked up the most pieces of pie. And Leo was second, so he got a dollar.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Dani says. “What pie were you pickin’ up?”
“The pie that got ruined when Aiden and Mark were fighting,” Tyler explains quietly.
“Aiden and Mark were fightin’?”
“Let’s not get into that now,” Nick says, walking over and guiding Dani toward the barbecue. “Nice of you to finally join us.” He gives Dani’s elbow a painful squeeze. “She’ll have a hamburger,” he tells Sean. “This man makes the best hamburgers in town. Bar none.”