Strain of Love

Chapter Four

The words fell out of my mouth before I connected with my brain. "I could take her. I mean, if you and Henry would feel comfortable with me doing it."

Gene almost fell over with glee. "You would? Oh, Miss Rose, you do not understand how much that would mean to our Mabel."

I smiled back with as much enthusiasm. I mean, her happiness was infectious. It was as if I was giving her the world in my offer. "Please call me Verity. And, honestly, it would be my pleasure."

"After the dance class, you must come and have your dinner at the restaurant. Mabel tells me of how much you enjoyed it the other week," she said, placing her hand over mine on her shoulder for a beat until we pulled away.

The thought of another salad covered in chicken, fried bread, and mustard sauce warmed my belly. "Sounds like a plan to me."

...

I wrapped Mabel's pink scarf around her neck when we came out of the village hall and stepped into the ice-cold air. A few girls she'd made friends with waved as their chatting parents tugged them away and towards their waiting vehicles. The forty-five-minute class flew by, and it was such a pleasure to watch Mabel so carefree. The smile on her face didn't once falter.

"Bye," Mabel said, giggling to herself when the other girls shouted the same thing over to us. She shouted once more, "Bye, guys!"

I opened my car door for her to climb inside, making sure she was secure in the backseat before giving her the banana and fruit smoothie drink I bought for after her class. "You had fun then?"

"Yes," she said, smiling as she peeled the banana. I wasn't sure the plaits in her hair would last until the end of the day, tiny bits of hair falling out of the edges. Signs of a good day, I thought. "The dancing was fun."

I smiled down at her. "I'm glad. I nearly wanted to join you all up there with all the Disney songs they played."

The banana half-eaten, she covered her mouth before speaking: "You should have danced with me."

I closed the car door, seeing her take another huge bite through the backseat window as I got into the driver's side and strapped myself into the car seat. "I would only have embarrassed you. I bet you're hungry now."

"Yes," I caught sight of her nodding up and down in the rearview mirror. "Daddy said that Uncle Casey is doing me a pudding pizza."

I started up the car to get us on our way. Pudding pizza sounded magical. Both of my favourite things combined. "A pudding pizza?"

Mabel hummed from the back seat. "It's pizza, but with Nutella, marshmallows and strawberries. I'll share some with you."

I nodded fiercely at the mirror which made her burst into bubbling giggles. The sound so sweet it got me in the chest. "It sounds super scrummy."

"It's the scrummiest thing in the entire world," she said, lifting her hand up for effect.

I came to a stop at the junction, turning to check on her. The smoothie was in her hand now, the back of her hand moving up to wipe it away from her mouth. "Then I simply can't wait to try it," I responded.

As I expected, the restaurant was buzzing with life when Mabel and I stepped through the doors. No free tables in sight, Gene and Donna bounced from table to table, serving the hungry customers. I wasn't the only fan of Casey's cooking.

Mabel sprinted over to the man I saw last time I was here, but didn't get the chance to meet. The stony gaze he directed at me chilled my blood. The sheer size of him was scary enough, but the uncertainty in his eyes warned me to back off. It was obvious he didn't take too kindly to me being around his family, which I found odd. I hadn't even met him yet.