Page 96 of Broken Grump

“I’m sorry.” Addie “shoos” her into the car. Then, after picking at a callous and then rubbing her hands together, she asks, “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

I swallow hard—both at the question and her natural, effortless beauty, which is in fine form today as she’s in an old soccer jersey and yoga pants.

“I’m serious, Hayden,” she insists when I don’t say anything. “We cannot have a repeat of last night. Do you understand me? I won’t have it. Consider that strike three. There won’t be any more given.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

Ugh. There it is again. I can’t just give her a blanket statement. It’s like the Flores girls are allergic to them or something.

“Yes, I understand that I can’t fly off the handle again.”

She nods. “Very good.” She’s, then, about to say something else, but her eyes avert to someone behind me.

When I turn to see what she’s looking at, I see another little girl. Except, unlike Luna, she has blonde hair that reaches past her shoulders and blunt-cut bangs.

“Hey Paige! How are you, sweetie?”

Paige. Paige. Why does that sound so familiar?

Grabbing the child by the shoulders, Addie explains, “Hayden, this is Paige. Luna’s new friend. Paige, this is Hayden. He’s our . . . friend.”

First off, I recognize now Paige is the friend Luna couldn’t stop yammering about at my place last night. And secondly, it kind of stings to still be referred to just as a “friend” of the Flores girls, but I also understand it. Especially after “the incident.”

“Nice to meet you, Paige.”

“Uh-huh.” She doesn’t seem all that impressed with me, but not many little girls are. Younger boys, on the other hand, can’t get enough of me. Not her. Instead, she seems eager to join Luna in the back.

“Paige!” Luna calls out after Addie opens the back door again.

I guessed, based on sight alone, I thought that Paige was taller than Luna. But my suspicion is confirmed when she hops in without needing a car seat.

However, unlike Luna may have been concerned, her friend doesn’t tease her.

Someone raised her right.

Addie and I then follow suit and get in.

Adjusting the mirror, she looks back at them and asks, “Are we all buckled in, ladies?”

I realize that I’m not, and I secure it across my shoulders.

“Alright, let’s go.”

***

It’s a short drive to our location. So after she parallel parks better than I could’ve ever dreamed of doing, we all jump out.

“This stall has the best ice cream,” Paige says while nudging Luna’s shoulder.

She looks up with her green eyes and asks, “Can we, Mom?”

Addie sucks air in through her teeth. “Ice cream before dinner? I don’t—”

“Please!”

“Oh, alright. Just this once!”

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