Local Hero

mean shoving everything on the floor, okay? You take care of it properly, and Mitch and I will bring this in.”
    They streaked away with war whoops that warned her she’d be finding surprises under Radley’s bed and under the rug for some time. She’d worry about that later. Now she crossed the room to stand beside Mitch.
    “That was a terribly generous thing to do.”
    “He’s bright. A kid that bright deserves one of these.”
    “Yes.” She looked at the boxes yet to be opened. There’d be a monitor, disk drives, software. “I’ve wanted to get him one, but haven’t been able to swing it.”
    “I didn’t mean that as a criticism, Hester.”
    “I know you didn’t.” She gnawed at her lip in a gesture that told him her nerves were working at her. “I also know this isn’t the time to talk, and that we have to. But before we take this in to Rad, I want to tell you how glad I am that you’re here.”
    “It’s where I want to be.” He ran a thumb along her jawline. “You’re going to have to start believing that.”
    She took his hand and turned her lips into his palm. “You might not feel the same way after you spend the next hour or so with ten fifth-graders.” She smiled as the first minor crash sounded from Radley’s bedroom. “‘Once more unto the breach’?”
    The crash was followed by several young voices raised in passionate argument. “How about, ‘Lay on, MacDuff’?”
    “Whatever.” Drawing a deep breath, Hester lifted the first box.
    ***
    It was over. The last birthday guest had been dragged away by his parents. A strange and wonderful silence lay over the living room. Hester sat in a chair, her eyes half closed, while Mitch lay sprawled on the couch with his closed completely. In the silence Hester could hear the occasional click of Radley’s new computer and the mewing of Zark, who sat in his lap. With a contented sigh, she surveyed the living room.
    It was in shambles. Paper cups and plates were strewn everywhere. The remains of potato chips and pretzels were in bowls, with a good portion of them crushed into the carpet. Scraps of wrapping paper were scattered among the toys the boys had decided worthy of attention. She didn’t want to dwell on what the kitchen looked like.
    Mitch opened one eye and looked at her. “Did we win?”
    “Absolutely.” Reluctantly, Hester dragged herself up. “It was a brilliant victory. Want a pillow?”
    “No.” Taking her hand, he flipped her down on top of him.
    “Mitch, Radley is—”
    “Playing with his computer,” he finished, then nuzzled her bottom lip. “I’m betting he breaks down and puts some of the educational software in before it’s over.”
    “It was pretty clever of you to mix those in.”
    “I’m a pretty clever kind of guy.” He shifted her until she fit into the curve of his shoulder. “Besides, I figured I’d win you over with the machine’s practicality, and Rad and I could play the games.”
    “I’m surprised you don’t have one of your own.”
    “Actually . . . it seemed like such a good idea when I went in for Rad’s that I picked up two. To balance my household accounts,” he said when Hester looked up at him. “And modernize my filing system.”
    “You don’t have a filing system.”
    “See?” He settled his cheek on her hair. “Hester, do you know what one of the ten greatest boons to civilization is?”
    “The microwave oven?”
    “The afternoon nap. This is a great sofa you’ve got here.”
    “It needs reupholstering.”
    “You can’t see that when you’re lying on it.” He tucked his arm around her waist. “Sleep with me awhile.”
    “I really have to clean up.” But she found it easy to close her eyes.
    “Why? Expecting company?”
    “No. But don’t you have to go down and take Taz out?”
    “I slipped Ernie a couple of bucks to walk him.”
    Hester snuggled into his shoulder. “You are clever.”
    “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
    “I haven’t even thought about dinner,” she murmured as her mind began to drift.
    “Let ’em eat cake.”
    With a quiet laugh, she slipped into sleep beside him.
    Radley wandered in a few moments later, the kitten curled in his arms. He’d wanted to tell them about his latest score. Standing at the foot of the sofa, he scratched the kitten’s ears and studied his mom and Mitch thoughtfully. Sometimes when he had a bad dream or wasn’t feeling very good, his mom would sleep with him. It always made