Page 103 of Broken Grump

“Yes, you can go,” Addie says. “But remember, Paige’s mom is going to be back to pick her up soon!”

“Yes, Mom.”

We pause and listen to their little footsteps clomp up the stairs.

“They sure are inseparable, huh?”

“It’s looking that way, yeah. And I’m so glad. I was so afraid it would be hard for Luna to make new friends here.”

Well, that certainly doesn’t appear to be the case.

“Do you want some wine?” she suddenly asks.

“Oh! Um, sure.”

“Great.” She smiles and then walks over to a rack filled with bottles in the corner of the room. “Red?”

“Works for me.”

Once she’s made her selection, I watch as she makes the cutest faces while struggling to uncork it.

“Can I help?”

“No.” She’s biting down on her lip and cranking on the spinning lever.

“Okay.”

Finally, she gets it and pours me a glass. I would never tell her this, but there are definitely tiny bits of cork floating on the surface.

I try my best to avoid ingesting them while also resisting looking at my watch for the millionth time that evening.

“Alright, Cohen,” she says after plopping down across from me and taking a sip.

“Alright what?”

“Time for you to spill. There’s obviously something on your mind.”

“Funny you should ask. Um . . .” Moments later, the doorbell rings.

“Who—”

“I’ll get it,” I offer before getting up. “You just stay there. We’ll be right back.”

***

“Addie, this is Dr. Donaldson.”

“You can just call me Jerry.”

“Jerry,” I correct myself. “This is Addie.”

She stands and shakes his hand. “Very nice to meet you. But sorry, what are you doing in my home exactly?”

They’re then both looking at me with confused expressions on their face.

“Uh.” I hook my finger in and loosen my tie a little. “Dr. Don—Jerry is a therapist.”

“Seriously?” Her eyes squint while her arms cross.

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