Page 20 of Dream House
“Mama, can Uncle T and I eat in his room to watch—”
I whirl around to face my daughter and brother so fast I almost get whiplash. “No, ma’am. You will sit at the table, and we will eat together as a family.”
Maisy and Tyler look at each other with unmistakable resignation. Then Tyler lifts his gaze to mine.
“Ish crea...m?”
If she told me once, Nanna told me a thousand times.Pick your battles.“Fine. You can eat your ice cream in front of the TV.”
Both Tyler and Maisy flash each other matching grins as if they’ve pulled one over on me.
The four of us sit and dig in.
“Mmm,” Tyler hums with his first bite. “Goo...d”
Pen preens. “Thank you, Tyler. I worked hard on it.”
I roll my eyes. But the jambalaya is good. And I’m hungry.
Which reminds me.
“Have you seen Nina today?” I ask Pen.
Tyler’s fork stops halfway to his mouth.
“She came in with two garbage bags for suitcases around ten this morning, changed clothes, and left again.” Pen’s tone signifies that she still has doubts about my decision to rent Nina a room.
“Sounds like she was able to get some of her stuff,” I mutter between mouthfuls.
“Hmph,”Pen huffs. “Giving her ex-boyfriend the chance to follow her back here.”
“Pen.” I tilt my head over at Maisy in warning, but my daughter is busy chasing a sausage around her bowl. Tyler, on the other hand, stares unblinking at Pen.
The sound of the front door unlocking carries into the kitchen.
“Speak of the devil,” Pen says under her breath.
“Pen,” I scold again, but I’m already pushing away from the table.
Nina has locked the front door behind her and is halfway up the stairs when I call her name.
She turns. Sandals, a light blue cotton skirt, a white tank top under a cropped denim jacket have almost completely transformed her.
Almost.
The black eye is camouflaged under makeup, but the caked-on concealer only mutes the injury.
“H-Hi,” I stammer. “How was your day?”
Nina stares at me, and a moment too late, I realize that a chatty, nosy landlady may not be at the top of everyone’s wish list.
“I-I mean… we’re just having dinner. It’s jambalaya… There’s plenty if you’d like to join us.”
Nina shakes her head and holds up a paper bag. “No thanks. I got dinner at work.” She climbs two more steps.
“Do you need anything? Towels or… anything?”
When she shakes her head again, the curtain of hair hides her face. “I’m good. G’night.”
