Mind Games

“Before they get there.”

At his shrug, a mimic of his father’s, she smiled. “Well, I’m going to show you.”

Brightening happened when a little boy laughed so hard he fell on his ass in the garden when Lucy pulled up a carrot.

Thea took Bray home with another basket.

“Carrots grow in the ground. Tomatoes don’t.”

“That’s exactly right.”

“Peas come in a…”

“Shell.”

“I like peas. I like carrots. Daddy gets them from the freezer and zaps them. I got so many friends. I got Lucas and Rolan and Adalaide. She’s a girl.”

“She is?”

“Uh-huh. I run now.”

Since they’d reached the lane, Thea set him down, and shook out her arm. The kid had some weight to him.

“Daddy! I got carrots out of the ground!”

“What were they doing there?”

“I dunno, but I got them. And peas that come in a shell. I want peas and carrots for dinner.”

“Sure.” On the front porch, Ty scooped him up, kissed him.

“Adalaide has red hair, and she’s a girl.”

“Is she? Who’s Adalaide?” he asked Thea.

“A girl about his age. She came down with her mother to get some balm and soap.” She held out the basket. “From Grammie.”

“Thanks. Ah.” He looked inside. “We’ve got soap, too. And carrots, a couple tomatoes. I think maybe a turnip, an onion.”

“I played farmer with Grammie.”

“I see that.”

“Peas, fresh shelled,” Thea added. “In the container there.”

“Wow.”

“You don’t know how to cook fresh peas and carrots.”

“Not a clue.”

He looked over at her, the tiny dimple coming out as he smiled. As they smiled, Thea corrected, boy and man, twin dimples.

“I was going to toss some burgers on the grill. If I toss one for you, you could demonstrate.”

“I’ll take a burger as payment, but you have to pay attention. It’s not hard.”

“So you say.” He set Bray down. “Go on, get your trucks.”