Just an Ordinary Family

the truck. I might be able to cross.”
“Nick, no! I’m not letting my best friend’s husband and the father of my goddaughters get swept down the creek. Libby will agree with me that the best thing to do is wait it out. Besides, the SES won’t let you through.”
“I guess.” But he didn’t look happy.
“Call her and I’ll make tea.” Jess walked to the kitchen, filled the kettle and switched it on. As she set out mugs and milk, she could hear Nick murmuring on the phone. She picked out the words, “at least an hour” and smiled.
By the time he walked into the kitchen, the tea was brewing and she was plating two slices of the cake her client had given her that morning when she’d dropped off some tax forms at the patisserie. She added some strawberries and a squirt of Chantilly cream.
Nick’s eyes lit up. “Is that Patrice’s chocolate indulgence cake?”
“The very same. But it’s our secret. If Libby finds out I gave you a slice, we’ll both get in trouble.” She pushed a mug of tea toward him. “It’s such a shocking night, I thought you might have already been called out by a hapless tourist.”
“I asked Dad to be on call tonight.”
“Oh, right. Valentine’s Day.” She licked some chocolate frosting off her finger. “I thought you and Libby didn’t bother with it.”
Nick looked over the top of his mug, his Tuscan eyes flinty. “You don’t know everything.”
Jess squashed a laugh. Was Nick really that clueless? How could he not know that women, let alone best friends, disclosed all sorts of intimate information to one another? She knew everything about his marriage. “I know the anniversary’s going to be a tough time for Libby.”
“Not just for Libby. My son died too, remember.”
This time she stared him down. “You know it’s not the same.”
He held her gaze for a few more seconds before forking cake into his mouth. Steering the conversation into calmer waters, they chatted about the weather, the new barista at the marina café whose skills took coffee into the next realm and Alice’s controversial article in the Gazette accusing the film festival committee of safe choices.
“What was she thinking? Didn’t she know Claudia’s Jake’s silent business partner?”
“She does now,” Nick said ruefully. “Jake told her a couple of days ago he doesn’t have any more shifts for her.”
“Typical Alice.” Jess muttered into her cake.
“I’m happy,” Nick said loyally. “It frees her up to work more for me.”
Jess no longer wanted to talk about the twins. “While I’ve got you here, I need to ask you a favor.” She laughed at Nick’s wary face. “Settle, petal. I’m on the toy library committee and we’re pulling together the annual raffle. I was wondering if Pirellis’ would donate the main prize?”
Nick visibly relaxed. “What did you have in mind?”
“A three-day cruiser hire.”
“Why not a yacht?”
“People feel safer on a motor boat.”
The sailor looked baffled by the statement. “Let’s give them the choice. Just make it clear the hire has to be taken between March and November but excludes Easter.”
“Great!” She beamed at him. “Thanks, Nick.”
“Too easy.” He poured them both a second cup of tea and cut himself another slice of cake. “When the girls were younger, I used to take them to the toy library on Saturday mornings when Libs was at work. They loved all the big toys, like that huge molded plastic garden and the red car.”
“Leo loves that garden! He’s fascinated by the flowers and the butterfly.”
“I bet he loves the mail box.”
“So much. I gave him all my loyalty cards from the stores I can no longer afford to shop at. He uses them as letters and it’s so cute! I took a video.”
Jess pushed her phone toward Nick. Her heart turned over at her son’s squeals of delight when he’d opened the mail box and found all the cards waiting for him.
Nick laughed. “And rinse and repeat, again and again. The girls do that. Guess it’s how kids learn.”
“I’m not complaining. It kept him occupied and happy for half an hour. No one tells you how your life changes once they start walking.”
Nick grimaced. “Libby mentioned it. I know I did.”
She let his comment go, not wanting to revisit the time she’d told Libby she was going ahead with assisted reproduction to create a child and raise it on her own. It was the only time in their long years of friendship that they’d endured a period of strained coolness. She’d hated it.
“Mom-mom!” Leo’s cries broke the silence.
Jess sighed. “How can he sleep through the noise of the storm and wake up when it stops?” She pushed back her chair and walked into her son’s room. “Nigh-nighs time,” she whispered, laying him down and stroking his hair.
But Leo was having none of it. He struggled out from under the covers and stood, stretching his arms to be picked up. “Waa-waa,” he demanded.
“Okay. A quick drink and then back to sleep.”
As she carried him into the kitchen, Leo snuggled into her shoulder but the moment he saw Nick, his head shot up. “Ick!”
“G’day, mate. You should be asleep.” Nick looked at Jess. “The causeway’s open again so I’ll get going.”
“Ick!” Tears filled Leo’s eyes as Nick walked away. “Deer!”
“Deer?” Jess had no idea what Leo was talking about.
“Reindeer.” Nick fished his key fob out of his pocket. “It’s a bouncing game I play with the kids when you and Libby are having a wine and a whine. You should do it with him. He loves it.”
“Why don’t you come over tomorrow and show me?”
All the tension Nick had carried into the house returned as if it had never left. “How about I show you on Sunday when you come over for dinner.”
Jess’s lips pursed at his captain’s tone. “Tomorrow would be better.”
“Jess—”
“While you’re here, you can replace the two rotten boards on the back steps.”
“There are no rotten boards! Jess, this has to stop. I’ve tried to be understanding. I’ve tried to