Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19)(47)

When he descended to the kitchen he found Maxie and Nora at the table, laughing over something. Berry was seated on the other side of Nora, propped up on a bunch of couch pillows covered with a towel so spaghetti sauce wouldn’t stain them.

“There you are,” Nora said, leaping to her feet. “Are you ready to eat or do you want a little time to unwind first? Want a beer or soda or something?”

He glanced at Berry, stuck out his belly and rubbed it. “Me want food!” he said, making her laugh. And he thought, What the hell was that? I don’t know anything about kids! Why was I playing to the kid? But she was still grinning at him and it made him feel something inside, like a glow.

“Good,” Maxie said, joining Nora at the kitchen counter. They had salads prepared in individual bowls, dressed and ready to go. There was a loaf of garlic bread that went on the table, aluminum foil opened. Maxie was rinsing the noodles while Nora was stirring the sauce.

Nora put the salads on the table, in front of each place. “Berry, eat a couple of bites so you get your nutrients,” Nora said.

“Does she have any idea what nutrients are?” Tom asked.

“Absolutely none, I’m sure. But Berry will have a couple of bites and even if she didn’t, she’d get the rest of dinner. I don’t punish with food. We try to be grateful for good food and blessings.” Then she smiled and added, “Greens are a little iffy, but I guarantee a good performance on the noodles and sauce!”

“Tom liked that best, too,” Maxie said.

“When I was a girl there was big trouble over things like vegetables. My mother started giving me a plate of weird vegetables and if I wouldn’t eat them all, I went without the rest of the dinner. I had to earn things like meatloaf by eating a lot of Brussels sprouts. I’m not a picky eater now, but I’m not sure that process had anything to do with it. I’m not going to do that.” And Nora tended to the bowls of spaghetti for her girls while Maxie dished for the adults. “Warning, this could be a little messy,” Nora said. And she made Tom trade chairs so he wasn’t sitting next to one of her kids.

It was a more than a little messy, but it seemed to entertain Maxie and Nora. When Fay got the noodles and sauce in her hair, the women nearly lost it, which made Fay giggle uncontrollably. Which made her put more food in her hair. Which made the women laugh, Fay giggle, etc.

What he noticed most was that Nora, who was little and slim, had seconds. And what bothered him was that he liked the looks of those trim, buxom females who seemed perpetually beautiful but he didn’t like to hang out with women who wouldn’t eat. Now how can you have it both ways?

Nora sat back from the table a little and said, “Oh, my God, please excuse me, Maxie! I ate like a pig! That was amazing!”

“Never apologize for being happy at my table,” Maxie said. “Do you have room for pie? You helped make the crust.”

“I’m so sorry, I can’t…”

“Will you take some home?”

“Yes! Absolutely! Oh, thank you! I don’t think I’ve been wined and dined like this in my lifetime!”

I’m partial to sushi… Do you like sushi?

“Sans wine,” Tom pointed out.

“Someday when I’m not carting small children in the car, I promise to enjoy a glass of wine—it’s been a while. I don’t know if you noticed, I’m not that confident a driver to start with—I need a little more practice. I’m not about to complicate that with wine, especially with my kids on board.”

“Perfectly understandable. Should we roll the ball around for a while?” Maxie asked.

“No,” Nora said firmly. “We’re doing the dishes before Fay starts to fuss. Then I have to get the ladies home for baths and bed. I start early in the morning.”

On cue, Fay wriggled in her booster chair, raising her arms and bowing her back, and sent up a loud whine.

“Oh, no, she wants a bottle. It’s time… I have one ready… Save the dishes, Maxie, until I can give her a bottle. I try to hold her for it as often as I can… .”

“I’ll do the bottle,” Tom said. And then he thought, I am going to lose my man card here. This is not what I want.

“Are you sure?” Nora asked.

“Sure. Be happy to,” he said.

“All righty. Let me get her cleaned up.” And Nora went after the little tyke’s face and head and hands with a wet paper towel. She undid the safety belt on the booster chair and handed her to Tom. “Get comfortable. I’ll bring you the bottle and the blanket.”

Not quite sure what those instructions meant, Tom carried the tot to the living room and chose Maxie’s favorite chair, a swivel rocker-recliner, which gave him a view to the kitchen. Nora was right behind him with the gear—bottle and blanket. Fay reached for them with an irritated eh eh eh eh. Then, holding her own bottle and soft blanket, she reclined into the crook of Tom’s arm and sucked away.

He looked into the kitchen where there was much going on. Berry was standing on a step stool between Maxie and Nora, mostly splashing while they chattered like they’d known each other since birth. And wonder of wonders, Berry not only talked as much, she was loud. Nothing like on the back steps where she was shy and quiet, but loud and extremely verbal. She addressed both Maxie and her mother, turning her head and looking up at one, then the other.