Jeffrey had rented a spacious SUV for the pick-up, having calculated the headcount early in themorning.
No sooner had Jeffrey slid behind the wheel than Everett tapped on the driver's side window."What's the deal with you and Karen?" he asked.
Though Everett hadn't overheard the earlier conversation between Dorothy and Karen, it didn't takea genius to figure out it was about Jeffrey.
"Nothing. She's got another blind date lined up, and I’m angry."
"You're not exactly her knight in shining armor, you know. You're overstepping," Everett chided him.
Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. "Aren't I your dude? Are you that scared of getting on Dorothy's badside?"
"Yeah, terrified."
Jeffrey shook his head. His dude was a lost cause!
Soon after, Dorothy and Karen climbed into the SUV and took the back seats, while the kids settledinto the middle row. Everyone was silent, as if bound by an unspoken agreement.
That is, until Abigail couldn't hold back any longer. She stealthily poked Everett, "Forget the money.Can you treat me to some candy instead?"
Without hesitation, Everett nodded. "Sure."
From the driver's seat, Jeffrey chuckled. "Your dad could buy you all the candy stores in EldorriaCity!"
"Really?" Abigail's innocent eyes lit up.
Karen was quick to interject. "Jeffrey, don't fill her head with nonsense. Abigail has bad teeth. Everytime I take her to the dentist, she always cries in pain!"
There was an awkward silence.
Karen had assumed the role of Abigail's protective mom. Jeffrey knew better than to cross her,especially since she'd just let Everett's promise to buy candy slide.
Dorothy smiled. "Just for today, Abigail can have a little candy!"
"Yay! Can we get some for my big brother too?" Abigail pointed at Langston, who was sitting besideher.
Langston looked up, deadpan. "I want a new computer."
Candy was kid's stuff to him, hardly a worthy bribe.
"Sure, I'll get it for you," Everett said, clearly incapable of denying his children anything.
Dorothy sighed. "You don't have to spoil them so much."
"They're my kids. They can have whatever they want."
Jeffrey turned to look at Everett, snorting. "We're nothing alike. I wish I had kids."
With that remark, he glanced at Karen through the rear-view mirror, but she was too preoccupiedwith the children to notice.
Arriving at the restaurant, Dorothy's phone buzzed as she stepped out of the car. She cast a quickglance at Everett, who was lifting Abigail from her seat. Then she checked the message.
It was from Kenneth. "Landed yet?"
Dorothy pursed her lips before replying. "Yeah, we're all out for dinner. Karen's here too."
"The kids aren't coming home tonight, right? Do you have everything you need over there? Abigailneeds her bedtime storybook and her stuffed toys. I checked her room, and they're still there.Should I have someone drop them off?"
He suggested sending someone else, avoiding the scene himself.
Kenneth didn't want to witness their family's harmony.
Dorothy exhaled slowly. "I'll pick them up. I'll swing by after dinner."
She couldn't avoid Kenneth forever. It was inevitable they'd cross paths.
Not visiting him upon returning was bad enough.
As Dorothy finished typing, she looked up to replace Everett's gaze fixed on her. She opened her mouthto explain, but he beat her to it.
"I'll pick them up. You don't have to go."
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