“That’s right, he’s Noah, I’m Maverick,” Maverick replied. He pulled the basket back so the woman couldn’t reach Noah again.
“Oh, I know who you are. I read all about you in the paper. Can you believe in this weather they still deliver our paper? I know everyone goes to the internet for the fake news, but we here in Falcon Cove prefer our local press for the truth.” She smiled. “Fair and balanced is what I say.” She touched Maverick’s arm. “You were on page 3 today. I’m sure everybody in town saw it. Great article. You’re a cop, right?”
“What’s your point?” Delilah asked.
Karen’s smile spread wider. She turned her clear blue eyes to Delilah. “No point Delilah. I’m making conversation. Anywho, are you coming to the Women’s League Brunch this Sunday? Mother Abigail announced it in the last board meeting, you should have received an invite by courier this week.”
Delilah didn’t answer. At first. Then she gave the prettiest smile to match her foes when she did. “You know members of the board don’t receive invites. Oh, my fault. I’m sorry I was voted off the board. Right?”
“There has been no vote, Delilah,” Karen double blinked. “We only convened to talk about the scandal and how to support your family. I won’t deny there are concerns and plenty of gossip. Come to the brunch. I’m sure you and Mother Abigail can set aside your differences for the charity. I’ll put in a word for you as well. We need you. And ignore the gossip, I do.” Karen shrugged.
Delilah didn’t use her sharp tongue on the woman, and Maverick found that curious. Especially since he could see the small talk was upsetting her.
“Bye, Karen,” Delilah said.
Karen took another moment to look over Maverick from head to toe. She pushed her cart, passed them, and it was the final straw. Delilah grabbed the handles of the buggy from Maverick and pushed it in the opposite direction. The rest of the shopping experience was done in silence. He paid for the grocery, and she didn’t object. He wasn’t sure if she noticed. Instead, she stood there reading the newspaper that apparently everyone else in the store had seen. They had to wait 30 minutes in line before they were back in the car. And by that time, the snow was coming down pretty hard.
“Are you okay?” Maverick asked.
“How about we use the GPS to take us back home,” she said. He didn’t answer. She punched in the address to navigate the roads. “I’m not in the mood to talk.”
Maverick respected her wishes and drove her home without uttering a word. Delilah was out of the car and then tending to Noah to remove him from his seat as fast as possible before she escaped into the house. Maverick had to carry the grocery to his cottage in the snow alone. His only concern was if Delilah's mood change was permanent. What could have been in the newspaper that affected her so badly? All of those questions had to wait. Maverick left her a note on the counter in the kitchen at her house that dinner would be at seven and then gave her and Noah some space. He had to figure out how to grill on the covered patio to the cottage in the middle of the coldest winter he’d ever seen.
LATER THAT EVENING
Maverick heard the phone ring. He closed the lid to the grill and hurried back inside to more warmth. The caller had to be Delilah since he hadn’t received any messages from her after returning from shopping. It was now close to seven.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Hi Maverick,” Delilah said in a voice so soft it almost sounded like a whisper.
“Hi? Dinner is almost done. Glad you called. It stopped snowing. That’s a good sign.”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty tired, and it’s probably going to snow again tonight. I should give Noah a bath and go to bed. Sorry.”
“Delilah, wait, please.”
“Good night,” she replied.
“Wait! Wait. One second, okay.”
There was still silence on the other end.
“Today was hard. I get it. You’ve been very nice to me since I arrived. I’m thankful. Let me do something nice for you. Besides? I grilled all these veggies. I can’t eat them alone,” he chuckled.
She remained silent.
“I think it would be great if I could see Noah before bedtime. Please come. We can end early if you want, but I’d like to. It’s our agreement remember—”
“Fine,” she said and hung up.
Maverick let go of a deep whistle of breath. It was a close call. He had an idea that she would cancel on him. Whoever Karen was, she ruined the shopping trip, but he wasn’t going to let her ruin the evening. He set the table in a hurry and brought in the food just as Delilah arrived without knocking. Noah ran straight inside in his snowsuit. Clumps of melting snow dropped from his feet. Delilah tried to catch him. They paused at the sight of Maverick's family dinner spread across the table. Noah turned and went to the kitchen. In seconds he was in the cabinets again removing pots.
“I’ll get him,” Delilah sighed.
“No, let him have fun. Oh! I also bought Noah some gifts,” Maverick told her. He wanted his son to have some of the trucks he always thought were cool as a boy. Tonka was his dream toy. In foster care, he got one for Christmas and played with it tirelessly until he reached five. It was then an older kid who thought it would be funny to take a hammer to it and destroy it. That crushing blow lasted a long time in his memory. He never forgot that heartache. Maverick went to the truck he kept near the sofa and showed it to Delilah.
“Noah?” Delilah said.
His son came running at the sound of his mother’s voice. Maverick stooped and held up the truck for him to see. Noah went for the toy truck with glee. Maverick stepped back and watched as his son ran it over the carpet.
“I’ll get the rest of dinner on the table,” Maverick said.
Delilah stood there watching her son, transfixed on how he played with the truck or lost in some other thought. Maverick observed them for a moment. It felt strange to have them both with him. He was so used to the idea of being alone. It was odd, yet it felt right.
“MavBick!” Noah said to his mommy and pointed at himself.
“Yes, it’s from Maverick, but you are Noah, and it’s your truck,” she said with a light chuckle. She glanced back when Maverick approached them.
“MavBick!” Noah said and walked over to him with the truck.
“We got to teach you more words. You like the truck?” Maverick asked. “Vroom, vroom,” he said and rolled the truck for Noah, who immediately imitated him.
“Noah tracked in snow. I better get the mop and clean it,” Delilah mumbled and walked away before Maverick could object. Instead, Maverick got the rest of the toys he had brought for Noah and put them in the living room area. Noah went from one to the next with excitement.
Delilah returned with the mop. She quickly swept to over the wet spots on the floor. “Do you like red wine?” she asked.
“With dinner, I think it might be perfect,” he said.
“Good, I brought a bottle. After the day we had, I think we both could use a drink,” Delilah said.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Maverick agreed.
She smiled and set the mop aside.
He smiled.