Page 30 of Homecoming

She leaned her head against his. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

“How was the nap?”

“Epic, as they all are lately.”

“You’re like me when I was expecting,” Bertha said, smiling. “I could’ve slept all day every day.”

“That about sums it up. And now I’m starving after being nauseated all day.”

Bertha jumped up with more vigor than an eightysomething woman should’ve had, but she wasn’t your average eightysomething woman. “I’ve got dinner coming right up.”

“Let me help,” Kara said.

“No need. I’ve got it.”

“But I want to. Cooking with you is one of my favorite things to do.”

“Then by all means, get your apron on.”

Kara got up and went to open the bottom of four drawers where she retrieved an apron that had her name printed on it in red, childlike handwriting with red handprints.

“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Dan said.

“We made it when I was eight or nine,” Kara said as she put on the apron that was now far too small for her, especially with the pregnancy belly.

“You were seven and had just learned to write your name. You were very proud of that.”

“Adorable,” Dan said. “What can I do to help?”

“Can he peel potatoes?” Bertha asked Kara.

“I believe he can.”

“I can hear you two talking about me, and yes, I can peel potatoes. My mother didn’t raise a fool.”

“Didn’t she, though?” Kara asked, smiling at him over her shoulder.

“Haha.” Dan unbuttoned the cuffs of his dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves. “I’m not just a pretty face. Put me to work, ladies.”

Bertha chuckled. “You two are awfully cute together. Reminds me of my Tony. If we weren’t sparring, we weren’t communicating.”

“That about sums us up,” Kara said.

“It’s a fun way to be,” Bertha said.

“It works for us,” Dan said, smiling at his wife. “Kara’s goal in life is to keep me humble.”

“It’s a full-time job.”

“I can see how that would be,” Bertha said with a twinkle in her eye for Dan.

“Hey!”

“Truth hurts, love.” Kara handed him four huge potatoes to peel. “Don’t nick your manicure with the peeler.”

“I do not have a manicure, as you well know.” Even though she was teasing him, he was thrilled to see some color back in her cheeks, which were far too pale for his liking lately. He’d peeled two potatoes when his phone rang with a call from the Bar Harbor Police Department.

“Dan Torrington.”

---