Page 120 of Mensa's Match

“Dad, it’s not as bad as all that.”

“No, it’s worse because this guy’s got your mother duped, too,” William said.

“Are you serious? If you think I can be duped, then you’ve got another think coming, bub,” Margo said.

“Margo, you know what I’m getting at.”

Margo’s tone became stern. “No. I know that you left when you should have stayed and tried to get to know him. How does your favorite saying go? A mind is like a parachute… it only works if it’s open.”

“My mind is open. The problem is that not too long ago she wanted nothing to do with him. Now she’s talking about how he can take care of her getting in and out of the shower.”

“Life’s funny that way, Dad. Not to mention, you and Mom were pretty similar.”

“Your mother never wanted to arrest me.”

“Maybe not, but you’ve told me and Wyatt that you couldn’t stand each other for the longest time. Then all of a sudden youdidn’t. I never did find out what changed, but at this point, I don’t want to know.”

A nurse approached from the opposite end of the corridor. Mensa rustled the bag and trudged into the room with a brief knock on the door. “I hope you haven’t eaten yet, Whit. Dontrell wanted me to deliver this to you.”

Whitney smiled at him, but her eyes lit up when she noticed the bag. “Ooh, is that my favorite combo?”

Mensa nodded. “Yeah. Hopefully it’s still hot.”

Whitney shook her head. “Hot tabbouleh doesn’t sound that great, honey.”

“Do you eat that stuff?” William asked, his eyes intent on Mensa.

Mensa huffed out a silent chuckle. “It’s not my go-to, but I tried it for her. I’m more of a gyro man.”

Margo laughed. “That’s what Bill said the first time she brought it home.”

Mensa moved the over-the-bed table so Whitney could reach it, and put the to-go container on it and opened it.

“I could do that,” Whitney said.

He cocked his head. “It won’t bother your stitches? Have you even started therapy?”

Margo hung her head for a beat, then grinned at Mensa. “She had a brief therapy session about an hour ago.”

“Didn’t seem to do much,” William muttered.

“You have to crawl before you can walk, Dad.”

Mensa ran a hand through his hair. “Have they said when you might be discharged?”

Whitney narrowed her eyes on him. “No. Why?”

Mensa leaned a hip on the bed. “Rod got shot today outside DeeLight’s. Cops were chasing him across town, and for some damned reason he led them to Dontrell’s restaurant.”

William glared at Mensa. “That’s the scumbag who abducted her, isn’t it?”

Mensa nodded. “Yeah, and Wyatt notified people about that.”

Whitney shook her head. “How do you know that?”

“Your brother showed up at the scene and spoke to me briefly before I left.”

“You were there when it happened?” Whitney asked.

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