I kicked off my shoes and crawled in next to her. “How do you feel?”
“Happy.”
I’d expected tired, or even hungry. Happy caught me by surprise. “Me too.”
“Tackle, you don’t have to take the job with the State Department if you don’t want it.”
“They might not want me when they see the list of my demands.”
“What are they?”
“Let’s see. I only have to work when I want to. Unlimited paid time off. A million bucks a year plus bonuses.”
She swatted me.
“Ouch. You’re a brute just like your brother.”
“Be serious. Do you really have a list of demands?”
“I do, but it’s short.”
“What is it?”
“No travel and I work from home.”
She looked skeptical.
“Otherwise, it’s a no. I told you this at the hospital.”
“I know. I just want you to be happy.”
“As happy as you are?”
“Exactly.”
“All I need is you beside me to make that happen, Sloane.”
“How is she doing?” I asked my mom a few days later when she came downstairs and sat next to me at the dining room table.
“Fine. She and Carolina are looking at curtains for the baby’s room online.” My mom motioned to my computer. “Is this going to be your office?”
“No, I’m setting up something in the back bedroom so I’m closer to Sloane if she needs anything. The furniture should be here today.”
“You decided to take the job with State?”
“They agreed to everything I asked for, so I could hardly turn it down.”
“Ben mentioned something about you being the resident expert on the Middle East.”
I nodded. “As long as I never have to go back there.”
My mom rested her head in her hand and had a funny look on her face.
“What?”
“It’s so nice to see you so happy.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “It shows, huh?”