Page 117 of Homecoming

“I’d rather not discuss it.”

“Math test gone wrong,” Kendra said.

“That happened a lot to me, but I still got into Stanford Law. Don’t despair.”

“Wait, you went to law school, and you sucked at math?” Luna asked.

“Don’t say ‘sucked,’ Luna,” Kendra said, earning an eye roll from her daughter.

“That doesn’t count as a swear, Mom.”

“I did stink at math, and I still went to a top law school,” Dan said as he and Luna followed the others into the mudroom.

“That’s impressive,” Luna said.

“Don’t tell him he’s impressive,” Kara said. “It makes his head swell.”

The girls giggled at the scowl Dan directed her way. “That is not true.”

“Yes, it is.”

“What are we arguing about already?” Judith asked when they entered the gourmet kitchen that’d been redone since Kara was last there.

“Aunt Kara is saying that Uncle Dan’s head swells when someone says he’s impressive,” Luna reported.

“And Uncle Dan says that’s not true,” Dan added.

“Isn’t it, though?” Judith asked with a smile and subtle tilt of her head.

Kara laughed, surprised by the playful teasing from her usually uptight mother. “See? It’s not just me who sees it.”

“I can’t catch a break around here,” Dan said, accepting a Sam Adams from Chuck and taking a deep swig.

“I found out I can go to law school even if Istinkat math,” Luna said.

Dan winked at her. “You go, girl.”

“Kolby and Keenan said they might come by after the gym,” Judith said to Kara. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course. I’d love to see them.” Her two youngest brothers were roommates and best friends who did just about everythingtogether when they weren’t working. “I saw Kolby for a second the other day.”

“He said he was glad to see you.”

“I was glad to see him, too.” Kara helped herself to a carrot stick and some ranch dip, touched that her mother remembered that she loved that snack. “The kitchen looks beautiful, Mom.”

“You think so? I’m so happy with it. I did exactly what I wanted this time, rather than what the so-called kitchen designers suggested the first time around.”

She’d gone with navy blue lower cabinets, white uppers and a white countertop that had replaced darker cabinets and countertops. A huge island with barstools was the centerpiece.

“I really love it,” Kara said. “Especially the backsplash.”

The painted tiles above the stove featured sailboats with spinnakers with the sailing theme carried through the smaller spaces, too. What would’ve been overdone in a smaller kitchen worked perfectly in this one.

“I do, too,” Judith said with a warm smile for Kendra. “My favorite designer helped me choose everything.”

“You’re definitely designing our house when we’re ready,” Kara said to Kendra.

“Sign me up,” Kendra said.

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