Page 204 of Solanum

"Yup." Nora chuckled then met my gaze. "I'm going to change while we wait."

"Okay, babe." I swatted her rear when she stood, and she tossed a smile at me from over her shoulder.

No one said anything until we heard the door of the attic close. Sali disappeared into the delivery app on Maggie's phone, and the latter rested her chin on her hand while eyeing me.

"What?" I cocked a brow at her.

"She looks exhausted," reflected Maggie. "And you're not much better."

"I'm fine. And she is exhausted." I glanced toward the stairs. "Work takes so much out of her."

"Can I ask you a serious question? I might be overstepping." Maggie's gentle delivery brought a frown to my face before she even asked.

Sali did a double take when she looked at her like she'd never met her before or something.

"Yeah." I motioned for Maggie to continue.

"Have you talked about Nora not working at all with the FBI? Maybe doing something different and lower key?"

"A little. She made this decision though, and I don't want to express my doubt. She has to be the one who chooses her next steps," I said, leaning forward with my arms on the table closer to Maggie.

She drew in a slow breath while Sali watched us, her expression intense while she glanced between us. "Here's the overstepping part," Maggie began.

"Okay…"

"What if she can't?" asked Maggie.

"Can't what?" My brow furrowed and I looked between them.

"What if she can't make that decision for herself about work?" Maggie posed, her voice soft.

"Nora's capable of making her own decisions…" My shoulders bristled at the suggestion and I glanced at Sali.

"I know she is, but with work…the pressure she's putting on herself is tearing her down. What if she can't see what's happening?"

"Have you talked to her about this? Because it seems like you have," I said, though the way she asked with concern rather than judgment, cooled me off.

"We haven't, but I've hinted at it. She gets quiet."

"I think she went back to work to be with you, Car," Sali blurted out. "What other reason could it be?"

"But we're hardly together at work…like almost never. We talk a lot because we share cases, but she's at the office and I'm in the field."

"Right, but when she made this choice, she probably didn't think it through too well. She could've just thought she would be with you and it would be easier. But it's not," Sali said, glancing to Maggie who nodded.

"I hear what you're both saying. I do. I can't just walk in there and demand she stop working. She'll resent me for it. Nora's excessively worried about money. Not doing anything with it in particular, but having enough for herself and Maya, even if she already does," I explained, managing to keep my tone even despite the upsetting topic. "I don't want to strip away her choices."

Maggie quieted for a moment, her chin resting on her hand as she looked at Sali. I waited her out, and Sali seemed to do the same.

"Sometimes…" she began, trailing off for a moment. "We have to make hard decisions about and for people we love. Even if we know they'll be mad at us."

"She's talking about my service weapons. My badges," clarified Sali. "While I was in the hospital…"

"Among other things…" Maggie ran her hand over Sali's ponytail before meeting my gaze again. "It's the risk we run."

Nora's soft footfalls ended our conversation before I could respond. She appeared wearing my sweats and curled up in my lap without missing a beat. I wrapped my arms around her when she tucked her face against my neck, and I kissed her wherever I could.

"You okay?" I whispered.

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