“What did you say?” Viper asked through his laughter.

“Never mind.”

Viper grabbed her arm before she could open the door. “I put it in her backpack this morning when you two were eating breakfast.”

“I knew I married a smart man,” Winter praised, before kissing him goodbye. “Don’t be late, and don’t forget we promised Aisha she could get ice cream to celebrate her first day of school.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve already warned Lily we’ll probably be late. You’re the one who has trouble getting out of the office on time.”

Winter hated it when her husband was right, and that afternoon was no exception. His told-you-so grin was already plastered on his face when she climbed in the car that afternoon.

“It was not my fault. Two cheerleaders got in a fight during sixth period,” Winter excused.

“Did they hit each other with their pom-poms?”

“No, their flutes. It was during band practice. I had to send one to the emergency room. I think she has a concussion.”

Viper laughed, but Winter didn’t find it funny. It had taken two teachers and a security guard to break up the catfight.

“Don’t worry. Beth texted me, saying the kids wanted to go to the church to play on the playground before going home.”

Winter relaxed back in her seat. “Willa’s bakery was probably more of a motivation than the swing set.” It had been a good call to add Beth to the pickup list.

She smiled as they walked into the gate of the church’s backyard, seeing the children happily playing. Their faces had traces of chocolate.

“I hope it’s okay,” Beth said when she greeted them, “that Willa gave her a chocolate cookie.”

“It’s fine. It looks like they’re playing it off,” Winter assured her.

Noah, Chance, John, and Aisha were chasing each other around the backyard, playing hide-and-seek.

When Aisha saw her and Viper, she came running. “Daddy! Mommy!”

Viper scooped his daughter up into his waiting arms. Winter felt a lump in her throat at the sight of them. One of his biceps was as big around as Aisha’s tiny body, yet he held her gently, as if she was the most precious thing on earth, and she was to them.

“I’m going to go steal—go ask Willa for one of those cookies, since you’ve eaten your treat for the day. I’ll be right back.” Viper set Aisha down, winking at her as Aisha’s face fell.

Aisha waited for her father to leave before tugging on Winter’s skirt. “We can’t get ice cream?”

“Maybe a small one.” Winter nodded, knowing Viper had been teasing her.

“Thank you, Mommy!” She tugged on her skirt again. “Swing me, Mommy!”

“Go ahead. I’m coming.”

Winter thanked Beth as she gathered up the boys to leave.

“No problem. Anytime.” She smiled as they left through the side gate.

“Look, Mommy! I can reach the sky!” Aisha kicked out her legs.

Winter moved behind her daughter, feeling her heart drop in fear as Aisha pointed her toes toward the sky. Viper nearly choked on the cookie he was eating as he came back outside. Winter shook her head then motioned for him to stand a few inches away in front of her, just in case her tiny sprite started to come down to earth. When he was in the right position, she gave Aisha a small push. It was time to let their daughter fly.

Epilogue

Two

“I hate boys!”

Winter was standing at the kitchen stove when her fourteen-year-old daughter slammed her backpack onto the kitchen counter.

“You know that’s not where it goes.” Viper shut the door behind them, his eyes growing ominously dark when Aisha didn’t greet her like she usually did after coming home from school.

Aisha slid it off the counter. “I might as well go to my room. Call me when dinner is ready.”

“Sit.”

Aisha’s face fell at Viper’s command. Her thin body was knees and elbows as she climbed on a stool at the breakfast bar.

“You didn’t have a good day at school?” Winter asked, turning the soup she was cooking down to a simmer.

“School was okay. It was after school that sucked.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened?”

When Aisha didn’t answer, she looked at Viper, who was sneaking a peek at dinner. He frowned down at the soup. From his thunderous expression, his afternoon hadn’t been much better than Aisha’s. Her husband wasn’t dealing well with his new diet.

“Don’t blame me,” he said, when he noticed her looking at him. “I was on time to pick her up.” He shrugged, going toward the refrigerator.

She looked back at Aisha’s downcast gaze, seeing the shimmer of tears in her eyes. “How was tennis practice?” She went to the refrigerator, elbowing Viper out of the way since he had his whole head practically inside. Taking out two cheese sticks, she handed one to Viper before closing the door.

“I want to quit.” She took the cheese stick out of her mother’s hand, tearing it open. “Can I go to my room now? I need to do my homework.”

“In a minute. Why do you want to quit tennis?” She rested her arms on the counter in front of Aisha.

She shrugged. “I just don’t like it anymore.”

“You liked it this weekend, when we drove three hours to watch your match.”

“That was four days ago. I just changed my mind, okay?” She had started to jump down from the stool, when Winter placed her hand on Aisha’s arm, forestalling her.

“I had lunch with Beth and Lily today. They said they were going shopping this afternoon since they had the afternoon free. John, Chance, and Noah were planning to play basketball until five. The basketball courts are next to the tennis courts. Did the boys say something to you?”

“No, they didn’t say anything at all. They were all too busy talking to the other girls to notice me. You should have seen them, Mom! Chance took his shirt off.” Aisha climbed off her stool, imitating how the boys were playing basketball.

Winter and Viper grinned as Aisha winked at imaginary girls. That was Noah, the ladies’ man. Then she dribbled a pretend basketball and acted like she was swishing it in a basket. She cockily jutted out her chin, pointing at the imaginary girls. That was Chance, the playboy.

Their faces became stoic as Aisha climbed back on the stool.

“What did John do?”

“He wasn’t playing. He said his leg was hurting. He was talking to Robin. His leg seemed fine when he walked to his mom’s car.”

“Oh…” Winter started to ask Viper what he thought about the boys’ behavior, but he was already sliding off his stool.

“When’s dinner going to be done?” he asked, throwing the cheese wrapper in the trashcan.

“In an hour.”

How could he be so oblivious? Their daughter was in the throes of her first crush, and he was worried about food!

“I’m going to go take a shower and let you two have some girl time.”

Viper made his escape despite Winter wiggling her eyebrows that he should stay. He took the steps two at a time.