“I’m working on it. DC isn’t my kind of area for long-term shit, but it’s got some nice wooded areas around it.”
“Forever the mountain man.”
“Says the man with a beard four inches long.”
“Don’t like it, don’t look at it,” I said.
“Kind of hard not to. I mean, it’s impressive.”
Our food came, and we shot the shit, updating each other on our lives. I didn’t have much to talk about, and Daniel was a motor-mouth. That’s how I preferred it.
“Sounds like you got a mission of your own,” I said when he finished telling all the reasons he’d stopped trusting the Agency.
“I’m working on it,” Daniel said. “But not like you are.”
“Still got your old contacts?”
“Always,” he said.
“When I get myself … immersed, think you could do me a few favors?”
I watched a mischievous grin spread across Daniel’s cheek as he picked up a french fry.
“Thought you’d never ask.”
CHAPTER 3
CINDY
Lillian’s first day of kindergarten arrived, and she kept trying on all her new outfits. She came running out and twirled around in them like she did when we went shopping the day before. Every time she smiled at me, her eyes would sparkle, and I’d be reminded that her father wasn’t here to witness how excited his princess was to go to school like a ‘big girl’.
He would’ve been so proud of her, of how grown up she looked in all her dresses. He would’ve praised her for putting her shoes on the right feet and getting her legs in the right pant holes. That had always been his task, getting her to dress herself. He’d been adamant about it because of how it helped her coordination.
And she was dressing herself as if it had never been an issue.
“How about this one, Mommy?”
I looked up and saw Lillian walk into the room wearing my favorite dress of hers. It had a ribbon around her waist tied off into a bow, and the fabric was a beautiful blue and pink and yellow floral print. She had on some blue flats with yellow socks, and she was holding a pink bow in her hand for me to put in her hair.
“Did you pick this out all by yourself?” I asked.
“Do you like it? Daddy taught me that if I wear a color on my body, I can also wear it other places too.”
I swallowed down some of my tears as I held my hand out for the bow.
She looked spectacular for her first day of school. I watched her grab her backpack and stand by the door, bouncing from foot to foot. I took one last look at her before I grabbed my purse and had her hold still for a few pictures for Aunt Nikki.
Then, we loaded ourselves up in the car.
I drove her to school and dropped her off, trying to ignore the humming of the back tires. As much as I hated my nosey neighbor, she was right. There was a humming noise, and it kept growing in volume every time I drove. Of course, something like this would happen at a point where I couldn’t afford much more than what was already on my plate. I distracted myself by dropping Lily off at school, giving her a big hug and an even bigger kiss.
Then, I headed to Nicole’s shop. Nicole’s Novelties. She’d opened her shop a couple of years ago and sold anything anyone could think of. If it was loud, weird, and colorful, Nicole had it in her store. She had become the go-to spot for any crafter or restoration specialist in town, and she was very proud of that.
And I was thankful for the part-time work she had hired me for.
“The pictures you texted me this morning were adorable!” Nicole said.
“I’m glad you liked them,” I said with a grin.