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“Do we have to?” Kay murmured as she lifted up.

She knew what I wanted to talk about and there was no getting around it, I didn’t expect her to tell me everything but I wanted to know what had gone on last night; why she locked herself in her room.

“We can do it right here, sweetheart.” I shrugged, standing up and continued, “Why did you lock yourself in your room?”

“I just needed a break,” she whispered and perched on the edge of the table.

“From what? Me?”

“I…I don’t know.” She twisted her hands in her lap, something she only did when she was nervous or on edge.

“Kay.” I took hold of her hands and stepped forward. “If it’s too much, we can cool it off.”

“I... Is that what you want?” she asked, looking up at me with sad eyes.

“Hell no.”

She searched my eyes and blew out a big breath. “I don’t want that either.”

“Good,” I said, letting go of her hands and cupping her face.

“Good,” she mimicked.

“Now, what do you say we finish off what you just started?”

“Ty…”

“Kay…” I tilted my head at her, daring her.

“I need to get Eli in a while, I didn’t take him this morning and-”

“It’s all arranged,” I interrupted. I’d talked to Eli this morning about it, ma said that there was this fair that was on the big field that backed on to the edge of her property. She’d asked to take him but I’d said that I’d talk to Kay about it first.

I may have let it slip to Eli this morning and, once I said it, I couldn’t take it back.

“What’s arranged?” she asked, pulling away slightly.

“Look.” I

held my hands up in the air, not knowing if this would go over well or not. “Ma asked to take Eli to the fair-”

“The one that’s behind her house?”

“Yeah…”

“Okay, continue.” She waved her hand in the air.

“Well, I may have let it slip to Eli this morning and he wants to go. Ma said that if Luke picks him up from preschool and takes Eli to hers, she’ll bring him back by bedtime.”

“Okay,” she said, and jumped down.

“Okay?” I furrowed my brow, confused. I was sure that she would have been mad that I’d done that without asking her first.

“Here’s the thing, Ty,” she said, backing away from me slowly. “Your ma called me already and asked. She said that she realized she should have asked me in the first place.”

“She called you?”

“Yep,” she said pulling the door open. “I like your ma.” She smiled and walked backwards out of the door. I followed her out and let the door close behind me.