they drove by the Powerball billboard and saw someone had won the jackpot, both of them couldn’t help thinking how much they could have used that money. It was hard to stop the daydreams about how they could use that money
.
Fantasy aside, they needed to decide what they were going to do. But all she could think about was that woman who had comeinto the tea shop after them. She shivered again, though the day was blazing hot
.
“She was weird, right?” she said
.
And Craig, bless him, knew exactly what she meant
.
“Yeah,” he said. “Freaky.”
“She really scared me. When I see people like that, I get scared that they want to hurt Libby.” She shivered again, feeling so off-kilter she had to stop and peek through the sun visor on the stroller to check on the baby again, as if some evil spirit could have snuck into her little carrier and spirited her away
.
“We would never let anything bad happen to her,” Craig said firmly, her practical and pragmatic sweetie
.
They were silent after that, he pushing the stroller, she walking at his side, both taking occasional sips of their teas. They walked all the way to the pier and then to its end, where Tampa Bay stretched out and the fishermen fished with their endless patience
.
“We have to let the house go, don’t we?” she finally said, leaning against the railing, her back to the million-dollar view as she looked at her husband and daughter
.
“Yeah,” he said. “We do.”
“And then it’s off to Illinois. And your parents.”
“Yeah. At least, for a little while.”
She felt an aching sadness at the thought of leaving their bungalow with its beautiful views and happy memories. But it was the right decision. They were parents now
.
“I
love you,” she said, and leaned over to him, touching her lips very gently to his cheek. “And Libby is lucky to have you for a daddy.”
Craig smiled, his eyes sad and sweet. “Right back at you.” They hugged each other, leaning into each other’s strength
.
Then Libby woke up, hot and fussy, and soon they were busy changing a soiled diaper and fixing a bottle, and then the heat was too much. They pitched their drinks into the trash and headed home
.
Tammar Stein is the author of the novella
Debts
, as well as the young adult novels
Kindred
,
Spoils
,
High Dive
, and
Light Years
, which was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, a Virginia Readers’ Choice, and a Texas Tayshas High School Reading List Selection. She lives in Florida with her family and a bilingual dog. Visit her at tammarstein.com .
.
Fantasy aside, they needed to decide what they were going to do. But all she could think about was that woman who had comeinto the tea shop after them. She shivered again, though the day was blazing hot
.
“She was weird, right?” she said
.
And Craig, bless him, knew exactly what she meant
.
“Yeah,” he said. “Freaky.”
“She really scared me. When I see people like that, I get scared that they want to hurt Libby.” She shivered again, feeling so off-kilter she had to stop and peek through the sun visor on the stroller to check on the baby again, as if some evil spirit could have snuck into her little carrier and spirited her away
.
“We would never let anything bad happen to her,” Craig said firmly, her practical and pragmatic sweetie
.
They were silent after that, he pushing the stroller, she walking at his side, both taking occasional sips of their teas. They walked all the way to the pier and then to its end, where Tampa Bay stretched out and the fishermen fished with their endless patience
.
“We have to let the house go, don’t we?” she finally said, leaning against the railing, her back to the million-dollar view as she looked at her husband and daughter
.
“Yeah,” he said. “We do.”
“And then it’s off to Illinois. And your parents.”
“Yeah. At least, for a little while.”
She felt an aching sadness at the thought of leaving their bungalow with its beautiful views and happy memories. But it was the right decision. They were parents now
.
“I
love you,” she said, and leaned over to him, touching her lips very gently to his cheek. “And Libby is lucky to have you for a daddy.”
Craig smiled, his eyes sad and sweet. “Right back at you.” They hugged each other, leaning into each other’s strength
.
Then Libby woke up, hot and fussy, and soon they were busy changing a soiled diaper and fixing a bottle, and then the heat was too much. They pitched their drinks into the trash and headed home
.
Tammar Stein is the author of the novella
Debts
, as well as the young adult novels
Kindred
,
Spoils
,
High Dive
, and
Light Years
, which was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, a Virginia Readers’ Choice, and a Texas Tayshas High School Reading List Selection. She lives in Florida with her family and a bilingual dog. Visit her at tammarstein.com .
Similar Books
