Page 78 of State of Suspense

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“What does it mean to drop out?” Aubrey asked.

“Never mind, you,” Nick said with a smile. “It’s not something we do in this family.”

“I want to drop out,” Alden said.

“I blame you for this,” Nick said to Sam.

“What did I do?”

“Mom! What happened to your arm? And your face!”

“Are you just seeing that?” Sam asked Scotty.

“Yes!”

“A little scuffle at work. I won. All is well.”

“You always win, and Dad has the T-shirt to prove it.”

Everyone laughed.

“Is it like this every night?” Brenda asked, wiping away tears from laughing.

“Most nights,” Celia said.

“This family is a mess,” Nick said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

Sam smiled at him. “But we’re your mess.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

After dinner, Sam supervised the twins through baths and bedtime and then went upstairs to check on Shelby and the baby. She was amazed by how she could walk again with no pain, thanks to Harry’s magic shot, although thinking about that needle still made her shudder. She knocked softly on the door.

Avery answered. “Hey, come in.”

“How’re things?”

“Calm at the moment, but that could change at any second.”

“I was hoping to say hello to my pal.”

“She’d love to see you.”

He led her into the bedroom, where Shelby was propped up on pink pillows as the baby slept in her arms.

“You look like a queen,” Sam whispered.

“Ha! I smell like a cow.”

“I doubt that.”

“How’s Lindsey?”

“Still waiting to hear.”

“That’s so scary. I hope everything is okay.”

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