Nathan’s eyes widened in panic. “We need to get there before the pie gets throwed out,” he said.
I grinned. “Thrown out, sweetheart and don’t worry, Bobby would never do that to you.” I ruffled his hair. “Get in your seat and I’ll buckle you up in a sec.”
Nathan paused, looked up to Lance. “Do superheroes eat pie, Captain?” he asked. “Because I will share mine with you. It’s even better than donuts today.”
My heart clenched at my kid willing to share his pie. He barely even did that with me. My child liked his baked goods, especially since they were a big treat. This was kind of pivotal.
Lance glanced to me then back at Nathan. “I don’t say no to pie.”
Nathan’s eyes lit up.
“Go get into the car, kid,” I instructed. “I just need chat to Lance for a second.”
Nathan didn’t need to be told twice.
I braved his gaze. “I hope you don’t mind. My bosses, and my friend Bobby kind of want to meet you.” I paused. “Well, they don’t want to meet you, they’ve demanded to meet you. I couldn’t exactly hide this from them.” I pointed to my sunglass clad face that did the job from hiding the bruise from the moms and teachers. “And then they all ganged up on me and the whole story came out,” I explained. “They’ll just turn up at the house if we don’t go there now. And they want to see Nathan with their own eyes. They’re worried. That’s why they want to meet you. I know that it’s not in the job description but there will be pie, and it’s good pie.” I smiled at him.
He did not smile back.
“I’ll come,” he replied.
I waited for more.
That was it.
“Okey dokey,” I replied, grinning wider.
Did I just say okey dokey?
This was trouble.
Both Karen and Eliza were waiting on their porch when I pulled up. Lance was meeting up with Luke, who was apparently installing our security system. I couldn’t argue with him about this because he’d turned and walked away as soon as he’d informed me of this.
This was after meeting everyone at the diner, being taken into the kitchen by Logan and Bobby for what I assumed was ‘man talk’. Everyone came out with all their digits, so I assumed it went okay.
Everyone seemed satisfied, most especially Nathan, since he was spoiled by the entire diner. Not just pie, but his favorite meatloaf and mac and cheese being brought home for dinner. Bobby ‘accidentally’ made it when it wasn’t on the specials menu until Monday.
I didn’t argue because I knew they wanted to do what they could to help.
I mentally told myself to have them all over for dinner when I could afford it. Esther had forced me to have the afternoon off, paid, to be with Nathan. I weakly argued, but she steamrolled me because I was dead on my feet and dying to hang out with my kid.
I did reevaluate that when Karen crossed her lawn and had my car door open before I’d even properly parked in the driveway. The fury, panic, and sadness in her eyes told me that Bobby had called her. Or Logan. They hung out at the diner a lot and we had Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays together.
Somehow, I’d managed to create some kind of patchwork family for myself and my son, when I’d come here with an almost empty bank account and wounds that will never quite heal right.
“Aunty Karen!” Nathan yelled, oblivious to the look I was being treated to and the tension in the air. “We have meatloaf, pie, mac and cheese! And donuts in the kitchen. Wanna have dinner?”
Karen’s eyes immediately softened. “Sure, monkey. As soon as I crucify your mother.” She looked over her shoulder at the woman rounding the car. “Aunty Eliza is gonna take you inside, ‘kay?”
Eliza opened Nathan’s door, eyes kind on mine and unbuckled Nathan, yanking him into her chest in a hug that wasn’t just because she hadn’t seen him in a day. She squeezed him too hard for that. Held him for too long. And her eyes were glassy and kind when they settled on mine.
So they both knew.
Crap.
“Karen—”
“Nope,” she cut me off. She stepped back, considering I couldn’t get myself out of the car without her moving. She was built, as Logan would say, like a brick shithouse. She had broad shoulders, wide hips and was almost as tall as all the Greenstone Security men. She had her hair piled on top of her head, she changed the color monthly, it was red today.
She was wearing a ripped tee and cutoff shorts. Tattoos covered her arms and legs. I guessed she looked intimidating to some people, especially glaring at me like she was right now, but she was one of the most generous and kind-hearted people I’d ever met in my life.