Page 115 of At Midnight Comes the Cry

“Yes, Mom!”

She waved her hands toward them. “Fine. Go play the new game together. Or run away from home. Either is fine.”

Shrieking, they pelted into the family room.

Granddad collapsed a little farther into the chair and began snoring.

“Should I grab the plate?” Kevin gestured toward the remains of the pie.

“It never falls. It’s a Christmas miracle.” She snorted, and then he snorted, and then they were both giggling like little kids. Eventually, they subsided, relaxed on the couch, shoulder to shoulder. Quiet, except for the Christmas music playing softly from the radio.

“I think…” He paused. “I think I’m going to leave law enforcement.”

She rolled her head to look at him. “I can see that.”

“You can?”

She hitched herself up and draped her arm over the back of the couch. “You wanted to be a cop when you were a kid. You got into it when you were just twenty-one.” She brushed a lock of his overly long hair away from his forehead. “You’re a grown man now. It’s not surprising you want something different.”

He smiled slowly. “Say that again.”

She grinned. “You’re a grown-ass man, Kevin Flynn. You’re not a kid anymore.” She didn’t kiss him, but she did tilt her head toward him. “What do you think you might do? Join your dad’s business?” His oldest brother was already working for Flynn Construction.

“You’ll laugh.”

“No, I won’t.”

“I was thinking I might become a lawyer.”

She lifted her eyebrows. “Oh, so you can hang around some more with Yíxin Zhào?”

His lips quirked. “Are youjealous?”

“What, because she’s perfect? Of course not.”

“She’s not perfect. She’s way too young for me. I like agrown-asswoman.” He leered, then spoiled the effect by laughing again.

“I think it would suit you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re smart, and you love to read, and, and… you want to make things better. I know there are lots of reasons people become attorneys, but that strikes me as a really good one.”

“It takes a while. Three years. And I really would have to move inwith my parents. Or take out loans. Probably both.” The lights from the Christmas tree blinked red and yellow and blue, catching different angles of his face.

She took his hand. “We’ll figure it out.”

He looked down and closed his fingers around hers. “I guess we will.”

2.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25

Russ’s sister, Janet, and her girls were already at Margy’s house, waiting on her husband, Mike, to finish at the farm. Christmas Day or no, the cows needed milking. Ethan’s cousins treated him like their own living baby doll, and with Tiny—Christine—and Rose sharing the day with them, Clare didn’t feel too guilty about leaving him behind while they drove to Albany.

“It won’t be dinnertime for hours yet; you have plenty of time to visit your friend and get back.” Margy waved them off. “I’m teaching Christine how to make a parsnip, mushroom, and barley wreath. You’re going to love it!”

“Take me out and shoot me,” Russ said when he got behind the wheel.