“That’s good to know.” Donna checked her watch. “Well, I don’t want to keep you too long, don’t want to arouse suspicion.”
“Right.” Dillon was trying to gauge this woman. On one hand she acted sincerely concerned for her son’s welfare, but the situation also felt intrusive . . . and Dillon still wasn’t sure that Donna fully approved of her. To make matters worse, Dillon felt more uneasy than ever. How was she supposed to act now? They were barely in the kitchen when the twins rushed over to her. Thankful for this distraction, she allowed them to monopolize her completely, even agreeing to visit their bedroom upstairs.
In the girls’ room, Dillon took her time to examine every nook and cranny. They obviously enjoyed this attention and eagerly showed her everything—from Emma’s ant farm to Chloe’s international doll collection.
“So have you gotten any birthday presents yet?” Dillon sat on one of the beds, still not ready to join the party downstairs.
They showed her a couple of things their mom had given them earlier, and then Dillon confided to them that she shared their birthday month.
“When’s your birthday?” Emma asked.
“Oh, later this week.”
“When? When?” Chloe pressed.
“Sunday.” Dillon told them the actual date.
“We’re birthday buddies,” Emma declared.
“Speaking of birthdays . . . we should probably go downstairs for your party.” They all trooped down the stairs, reaching the foyer just as Jordan entered with an armload of gifts. Naturally his nieces, like magnets, went straight to him—asking what was in the packages and if they could open them.
“You know what your mom said,” he told the girls. “After we eat, and before the cake.” He greeted Dillon. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“The girls invited me.” She picked up the gifts she’d brought, still on the foyer table, and followed their merry processional into the kitchen. She really didn’t want to overthink this evening, but after Donna’s questions . . . followed by Jordan’s polite but somewhat cool greeting, she wondered if she’d been wrong to come. Especially since it had been the girls who’d invited her—not the hostess. And so she decided that, as soon as the girls finished opening their gifts, she would excuse herself . . . and make a quick and hopefully graceful getaway from what was probably meant to be a family get-together.
CHAPTER
25
Dillon was relieved to discover that a few other non-relative friends, including Vivian Porter, were also guests at the twins’ birthday party. “I’m surprised to see you here,” Vivian told Dillon as the guests were ushered outside for dinner. “I didn’t realize you were friends with the family.”
As they sat down at a long picnic table covered in a brightly colored plastic tablecloth, Dillon explained about swimming lessons. She nodded to the nearby in-ground swimming pool. “I understand Janelle’s urgency now. I’m glad the girls are becoming water-safe. And they should be swimming before long.”
“That’s right,” Janelle told Vivian as she set a generous plate of hamburgers in the center of the table. “Dillon was our miracle worker. Emma and Chloe have made marvelous progress.”
“It’s about time,” Jordan teased his nieces. “Seven-year-olds should know how to swim.”
“We do,” Emma insisted.
“Well, almost,” Dillon corrected. “Your floating skills are definitely superb. And before your session ends, I’m sure you’ll be nearly swimming.”
“I asked the girls to do a demonstration,” Janelle said as she sat down. “After dinner.”
“Shouldn’t they wait half an hour before going into the water?” Donna asked.
“That’s an old wives’ tale,” Dillon explained.
Janelle asked Jordan to say a birthday blessing, and then they began to eat. There were about a dozen people at the table, and everyone was well acquainted, chattering back and forth as if they’d been friends for quite some time. Even so, Dillon tried not to feel like the odd man out. And when there was a lull, she turned to Vivian.
“My trailer is completely finished now,” she told her. “Inside and out.”
Vivian looked impressed. “Good for you. I’d love to see it sometime.”
“Anytime you like. I think it turned out pretty cute. I love it.”
“Have you taken it anywhere yet?” Vivian asked her.
“Not really, although I did move it to a better location on the farm.” Dillon didn’t admit how much help she’d needed from Grandpa.
“That’s nice, but it’s not the same as towing it on a real road,” Vivian pointed out. “Anything can happen when you’re traveling at sixty miles an hour. And what about your pickup—last time I saw you in it, you were broken down.”
“It’s running just fine now. My grandpa checked it over for me.”
“Even so, your trailer could have a problem on the highway. Happens all the time with old trailers that haven’t been maintained.”
“I’m sure my trailer will be fine.” Dillon felt defensive. “It’s very sturdy and solid and—”
“Don’t be so sure,” Jordan chimed in. “That old Oasis sat for a long time, Dillon.” He paused to tell the others that Dillon had taken possession of Uncle Jack’s trailer.
“Oh, I remember that trailer,” Janelle said. “I used to play house in it.”
“That’s sort of what I’m doing now,” Dillon said. “Playing house. But it’s been so much fun. I totally love it.”
“And she’s fixed that old trailer up real nice,” Jordan told Janelle. “You should see it.”
“I’d love to!”
“It’s like my little dollhouse,” Dillon admitted.
“I wish we had a trailer,” Chloe said wistfully.
“Me too,” Emma echoed. “Then we could go camping with Uncle Jordan.”
“Is your vintage club taking its annual trip this year?” Janelle asked Jordan.
“It’s next weekend,” Vivian told her. “At Silver Lake. I can’t wait. We’ve been planning on it for a year.”
“I wanna go,” Chloe said with longing.
“Me too,” Emma chimed.
“Why don’t you girls all come?” Jordan said to Janelle.
“For starters we don’t have a trailer.” Janelle passed the potato salad to her mom. “And, as you know, I’ve never been much of a camper and—” Before she could finish her excuses, her daughters cut her off with pleading and begging—and Janelle feigned an irritated look. “Thanks a lot, Uncle Jordan.”
He just laughed. “You three girls could stay with me. It might be crowded, but we could throw up a tent for overflow.”
Naturally, this got the twins even more excited, and they acted as if the plan were set in stone. “You have to come too,” Chloe told Dillon.
“Yes! We’ll all go camping together,” Emma chimed in.
“Oh, I don’t know . . .” As much as Dillon would love to be included, she didn’t think the decision should be up to the twins. “Sounds like this trip’s been planned for a long time. They might not have room for another trailer.”