Mind Games

“He really is,” Thea agreed.

“And all my friends can come.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

“He means all. He’s decreed his entire preschool class is invited. Fifteen four- and five-year-olds. Fifteen.”

“We get to play games, and have cake and ice cream, and I get presents.”

“Fifteen,” Ty said again, and made Thea laugh.

“It’ll be fun. I’ll help.”

With the planting and watering done, Bray raced off with the dog. Thea put her gardening gloves in her bag.

“Get a piñata.”

“A piñata?”

“Everybody loves a piñata. They’re five, so you can go old-school with things like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, or Musical Chairs. You can set up a beanbag game. You’ll have balloons, party favors, and they’ll be all over that play set out back.”

He looked up at the sky. “Pray it doesn’t rain.”

“I’ll do that, but if prayers aren’t answered, you bring all that inside—except for the play set. You pull out your guitar and play. It’s a dance party.”

“I should take notes,” Ty muttered. “How do you know all this?”

“I have nieces and nephews, Ty, and friends with children. At this age, it’s a couple hours. Play games, open presents, cake and ice cream, hand out party favors. Then clean up the considerable debris.”

“And the party favors are?”

She pointed at him. “Google’s your friend.”

“Yeah, it is. Okay, we’re still praying it doesn’t rain, but okay. So, I’m thinking of making grilled cheese sandwiches, maybe nuking a can of soup for dinner. Interested?”

She tossed her braid over her shoulder. “You’re saying that so I’ll cook dinner.”

The little dimple came out to play.

“Maybe, but that was the plan before you brought those flowers. And added to my workday because now I have to remember to water them. So, it’s the least you can do.”

“When you put it that way. I’ll go see what you’ve got.”

“If you do that,” he said as she stepped onto the porch, “it seems like the least I could do is offer you a place to stay for the night.”

“That seems like a good bargain.”

She never dreamed a Riggs dream when she slept beside him.

But too often, when alone, she woke with the echoes of a storm in her head.

* * *

She took a day when the hills began to shine with autumn to walk with Lucy, delivering soaps and medicinals.

“You look tired, honeypot.”

“I am a little. It feels good to get out like this.”