Page 181 of Maple Mountain
She traipsed away toward the front porch, leaving me with Archer.I looked at him.
He nodded.“I know.She’s too smart for her own good.”
“I’m suddenly getting the feeling that Lenni is an old soul,” I stated.“And that she and Muddy are two peas in a pod.”
“Lord help us,” Archer muttered.
The front door to the house opened and Muddy came out, carting a milk crate.Lenni shut the door behind her, but not before Mildred escaped.
“Open your truck,” Muddy called to Archer.
He went to the back door and opened it and then took the crate from her.“What is this?”
“Ginger beer,” Muddy said.“For Wyn’s belly in the mornings.”
“Shhh,” Lenni said to Muddy.“It’s a secret.”
Muddy mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.“We’re cutting down our tree tomorrow.I usually like to get the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, but everything has been kind of insane.You guys want to come along and find a tree with us?”
“Cut down a tree?”Lenni asked in confusion.“What for?”
Muddy smiled at her.“A Christmas tree.We do it every year.”
“No way,” Lenni said with a laugh.“We can pick our own tree?”
“What time would this be happening?”I asked.“Lenni’s got school.”
“I know she has school.”Muddy smiled.“You pick her up after school and drive on over.Does that work?”
“School is always getting in the way of fun,” Lenni muttered.
“Don’t I know it,” Muddy said.“Your brain can only do about four hours of intense work anyway.”
“Then why is school eight hours?”Lenni asked.
“That’s a deep, involved conversation,” Muddy said.“One your father should probably navigate.”
“Thanks,” Archer stated.
“Let’s get home,” I suggested.“I’m wiped.”
“Yeah, you’re looking a bit tired,” Lenni said, taking my hand and leading me to the passenger side of the truck.“We need to take care of you.”
My lip trembled and I hastily turned my face away.
Great.The hormone avalanche has begun.
ChapterForty
The House
Archer and I were cuddled up on the couch, Mildred nestled on my lap underneath a blanket.The gas fireplace was roaring, and Lenni was already asleep upstairs.
“Careful.”Archer touched the frown between my eyebrows.“It’ll freeze that way.”
My brow smoothed out and I smiled.
“What are you thinking about?”
