Page 33 of Watching Henry

She thought about this for a second. “That's up to you. I'm going to propose a compromise. Give Florence your phone. Give it of your own free will before she catches you. Then negotiate with her. You agree to give her no screens rule a chance during the day. In return, she lets you have your screens for thirty minutes in the evening while she's getting the twins ready for bed.”

“Huh,” Henry said. “You think that'd work?”

“I don't know, but I don't see why not. It's reasonable, isn't it?”

He nodded.

“Okay, so let's try using words to explain things instead of having temper tantrums and maybe everyone can be happy.”

“Yeah, okay.” He paused for a minute, then rubbed his nose with the flat of his hand. “You're not like I expected,” he said. “Not once you started talking to me.”

She smiled and then was struck by a thought.

She's assumed as much about Florence as Henry had assumed about her. She'd guessed that Florence was a certain way just from first impressions. Yet when had they actually really had a conversation?

Her heart lurched at the memory of their hug. She wasn't dumb. She knew that she found Florence physically attractive, that was just... empirical. Yet she'd written the woman off based on a first impression only.

Maybe it was time that she and Florence had a real talk. About more than just the kids. Maybe they should try getting to know each other a little. After all, they had the whole summer to spend together.

The twins came out of the water, shaking themselves dry like dogs and Hadley laughed as she got up, then winced as she felt her back and feet start to ache again.

She'd talk with Florence, she promised herself, but not tonight. Tonight she needed an early night.

She ushered the kids back toward the house and the sun sank lower over the lake and she had the strange feeling that something was going to happen here. But she had no idea what.

Chapter Fifteen

Florence piled the cups next to the sink and Eleanor thanked her.

“There's a bit of a lull right now,” said Eleanor. “If you want a smoke break or something, now would be a good time.”

“I don't smoke,” Florence said, primly.

Eleanor bit her lip but said nothing.

“I'll tidy up the counter,” said Florence.

She wanted to stay busy, it felt strange not to. She was used to the kind of job where there were no breaks, where you worked, paid attention all the time. If she was being paid for this then she wanted to earn the money.

“How are you finding things so far?” asked Eleanor, coming up to the cash register. “Can you handle the work?”

“No problem,” Florence said.

“I gotta say, you're doing a great job with taking orders and cleaning up,” said Eleanor.

Florence could hear the criticism coming from a mile off. “Thank you.”

“But, well, don't take this the wrong way...” Eleanor fiddled with the tip jar next to the cash register. “Um, it'd help if you smile a little more. I mean, friendly waitresses get tips.”

“I, um, right,” Florence said, wrong-footed and not sure how to respond.

“Look, I'm not saying you're not a lovely person, I'm sure you are,” Eleanor said though she didn't sound sure at all. “I'm just saying that you're doing a great job for me and your tips should reflect that. But an unfortunate part of being in customer service is that if you don't play the right role, if you don't smile, then you don't get tipped well.”

Which made sense. Florence could see the criticism for what it was, an attempt to help. “Okay, right. I got it.” She attempted a smile and Eleanor laughed at her.

“Maybe a bit less stiff?” she suggested.

Eleanor adjusted her face.

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