Page 11 of Griffin

“You like yogurt?” I nod to the box in Griffin’s hands, and she sighs.

“Only strawberry ones. With real strawberries in it.”

Griffin looks at me helplessly.

“I see. I think these would be great.”

I reach up to the top shelf and pull out some bright pink yogurt cups, noticing Griffin averting his eyes.

Weird.

“These have strawberries in them.”

“How do you know?” Melody demands, taking the cups from me cautiously.

“Because I eat them. They’re my favorites,” I confess, tapping her playfully on the nose.

“Do you like pasta?” Melody asks, her eyes wide.

“I do.”

She grins then and looks up at Griffin.

“Can Ivy come for dinner?”

Griffin nods, shrugging at me. “Of course. She lives close to us, Melody.”

“Really?”

Melody seems impressed, and I'm flattered.

I notice the stuffed rabbit in the crook of her arm and peer at it. “Who’s this little guy?”

Melody holds it closer to her chest, eyeing me suspiciously.

“Bunny.”

“I like him.” I smile at her, my heart breaking for this gorgeous little girl that has just lost her mother. “I used to have a toy dog. I carried him everywhere with me.”

“What was his name?” Melody arches a brow at me and I cringe.

“Pup.”

Melody nods like it's a totally acceptable name, then moves back to Griffin.

“Imaginative, weren’t you?” Griffin teases, glancing around the store. “I better get going, I’ve got triangle sandwiches to make.”

“With no crusts,” Melody adds, giving me a small smile.

“Let me guess,” I say. “Peanut butter and jelly?”

Melody shakes her head.

“Nope. Just jelly.”

“Okay, I see you,” I say with a laugh.

Straightening up, I catch Griffin yawning, rubbing his eyes. Melody has only been around for a week or so, but from what Dad’s been telling me, it's been hell on earth for Griffin to get Melody into the local school and get her there and back.

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