Page 105 of Culinary Chaos

Angelica nodded in understanding. “Yeah, it gets bad sometimes.”

Eva sniffled again. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Well, running away, while it feels nice to escape for a while, isn’t the best idea in the long run.” Angelica pursed her lips, ignoring the fact that she’d done the exact same thing. “But I get it, trust me.”

“Did you run away?”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“I did,” Angelica admitted with a sigh. “I ran away outside for a bit, cleared my head, and then I came back.”

“Did it help?” Eva scooted a little closer to her, easing her tight grasp on her legs and mimicking Angelica’s pose.

“It did.” She hated admitting that again, but she’d never lie to a child. “But I probably could have handled it better.”

“Were you mad for the same reason my mom was mad?”

Angelica nodded. “I’m pretty sure. We were both really mad tonight.”

“At each other?”

“Nope.” Angelica shook her head, brushing her soaking hair behind her ear. “Not at each other.”For once. Though, she didn’t add that last part. Eva didn’t need to know that.

“Well, that’s good. I think she likes you.”

Angelica snorted lightly. “She’d be one of the few.”

“Really?” Eva scooted closer and put her hand on Angelica’s arm. “I like you.”

“Thanks.” Angelica covered Eva’s hand with her own and canted her head to the side. “Next time you want to run away, I want you to tell your mom and dad about that feeling, okay?”

“Okay. Then what?”

“Then they’ll handle it, and if you need somewhere to go where it’s quiet just so you can get away a little bit, you can ask them if you can come find me.” Angelica liked that idea. She could work while Eva did whatever she needed, and then she could let Rex and Hope figure out their shit at the same time. It seemed like a good plan all around.

“Okay,” Eva whispered. “Do you think they’re going to ground me?”

“I don’t know.” Angelica frowned. “What I do know is that they’ll be very happy to see you.”

They fell into a silence that Angelica didn’t want to break right away. She finally did as she straightened out her legs, ready to climb out from under the table and get off the floor.

“Ready to go see them?”

“I guess,” Eva whispered. “But I’m scared.”

“I’m going with you. Come on. I’m old, so I’m going to need your help standing up.”

Eva laughed, and the sound was music to Angelica’s ears. She scooted out from under the table and waited for Eva to scramble her way from under it. Eva held out her hands, and Angelica placed her feet on the floor before she allowed Eva to help pull her to standing. She brushed off her pants and then stopped. She was still drenched. And she was chilled to the bone now. She had goosebumps all over her body, and she could barely feel her toes in her heels.

“Come on,” Angelica said again, taking Eva’s hand in hers.

They walked together to the elevator and then rode it up in silence to the floor they were all staying on. Hope was in the hallway, arms crossed, worry still on her face as they approached. She bent down, holding her hands out as they got closer. Eva let go of Angelica’s hand and ran straight to her mom, letting herself be wrapped up in a tight hug.

Hope buried her nose in Eva’s hair and her neck, squeezing her tightly. It wasn’t much longer until Rex stepped next to them and put a hand on Hope’s back in comfort. This was what family should be, nothing else.

“Where was she?” Hope asked, standing up and passing Eva over to Rex.