Page 98 of A Home for Harmony
“Will you teach me to shoot a gun?” she asked.
His head swiveled fast. That came out of nowhere. “Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t want to be afraid of them. I’ve never held one before. I don’t know, I bet Scarlet knows how.”
His daughter did. He wanted to make sure she could take care of herself.
“That’s the only reason?”
He was searching her eyes for the truth, surprised this came up.
“Isn’t that reason enough?” she asked, frowning.
His head went back and forth. “If you want to learn, we’ll get you a permit and do it the right way.”
“I don’t want to buy one,” she said. “Just know how to shoot it if I had to.”
“That makes no sense. Why learn to shoot one if you don’t have it or aren’t around one?”
“I’m around yours. What if something happened to you and we are together? I might want to fire it then.”
“You need a permit,” he said firmly. “Those are my rules.”
She crossed her arms and scrunched up her nose. “Fine. There you go again, being all serious.”
He turned to look at her. “Firearms are a serious matter, Harmony. I mean it.”
“I know they are. I’m talking aboutyoubeing serious, not the subject. I’ll get the permit, don’t worry.”
It was hard not to worry when he felt there was something more going on.
30
TRUE THOUGHTS
“You’re always the last one to arrive.”
“So good to see you too, Mom,” Harmony said, moving in to give her mother a hug. Her mother returned it like Harmony knew she would, but let go fast.
“I’m not sure why you’re always late,” her mother said.
Her mother couldn’t let anything go unless it was addressed.
“I thought Micah would have driven faster since he didn’t need to worry about getting a ticket. How was I supposed to know he didn’t speed?”
“There you go making jokes over something rather than taking responsibility for taking too long to get ready,” her mother said.
“Mom,” she said. “It doesn’t take long to put on jeans and a sweater, which is all I’m wearing. I don’t even have much makeup on. You like to pick on me. I’m not late. You said noon and it’s three minutes before.” She put her hand up. “This is my boyfriend, Micah Barnes. Micah, my mother, Marion.”
Unbelievable that the minute she walked in the door she was getting a lecture. Maybe now Micah would understand.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking her mother’s hand.
“You’re not what I expected,” her mother said. There was the rudeness of not saying it was nice to meet Micah. She could point that out but wouldn’t.
“I’m never what you expect,” Harmony said, grinning. “Why should this be any different?”
“But you’re older.” Her mother was frowning as she scoped her boyfriend out. “What’s your age?”
