Risky Business

waited until Faith was unpacked, until the crystal bird Faith had bought her was hanging in the window and her daughter had consumed two tacos and a pint of milk.
    “Faith…” She wanted her voice to be casual. “When did you meet Mr. Sharpe?”
    “Jonas? He came to Grandma’s house.” Faith turned the doll Liz had brought her this way and that for inspection.
    “To Grandma’s? When?”
    “I don’t know.” She decided to call the doll Cassandra because it was pretty and had long hair. “Can I have my ice cream now?”
    “Oh—yes.” Liz walked over to get it out of the freezer. “Faith, do you know why he went to Grandma’s?”
    “He wanted to talk to her, I guess. To Grandpa, too. He stayed for dinner. I knew Grandma liked him because she made cherry pies. I liked him, too. He can play the piano really good.” Faith eyed the ice cream and was satisfied when her mother added another scoop. “He took me to the zoo.”
    “What?” The bowl nearly slipped out of Liz’s hand as she set it down. “Jonas took you to the zoo?”
    “Last Saturday. We fed popcorn to the monkeys, but mostly we ate it.” She giggled as she shoveled in ice cream. “He tells funny stories. I scraped my knee.” Remembering suddenly, Faith pulled up her slacks to show off her wound.
    “Oh, baby.” It was small and already scabbed over, but Liz brushed a kiss over it anyway. “How’d you do this?”
    “At the zoo. I was running. I can run really fast in my new sneakers, but I fell down. I didn’t cry.”
    Liz rolled the slacks down. “I’m sure you didn’t.”
    “Jonas didn’t get mad or anything. He cleaned it all up with his handkerchief. It was pretty messy. I bled a lot.” She smiled at that, pleased with herself. “He said I have pretty eyes just like you.”
    A little thrill of panic raced through her, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Did he? What else did he say?”
    “Oh, we talked about Mexico and about Houston. He wondered which I liked best.”
    Liz rested her hands on her daughter’s knees. This is what matters, she realized. This was all that really mattered. “What did you tell him?”
    “I like it best where you are.” She scraped the bottom of the bowl. “He said he liked it best there, too. Is he going to be your boyfriend?”
    “My—” Liz managed, just barely, to suppress the laugh. “No.”
    “Charlene’s mother has a boyfriend, but he isn’t as tall as Jonas and I don’t think he ever took Charlene to the zoo. Jonas said sometime maybe we could go see the Liberty Bell. Do you think we can?”
    Liz picked up the ice cream dish and began to wash it. “We’ll see,” she muttered.
    “Listen, someone’s coming.” Faith was up like a shot and dashing for the front door. “It’s Jonas!” With a whoop, she was out of the door and running full steam.
    “Faith!” Liz hurried from the kitchen and reached the porch in time to see Faith hurl herself at Jonas. With a laugh, he caught her, tossed her in the air then set her down again in a move so natural that it seemed he’d been doing so all his life. Liz knotted the dishcloth in her hands.
    “You came early.” Pleased, Faith hung on to his hand. “We were talking about you.”
    “Were you?” He tousled Faith’s hair but looked up at Liz. “That’s funny, because I was thinking about you.”
    “We’re going to make paella because that’s what Grandpa likes best. You can help.”
    “Faith—”
    “Love to,” Jonas interrupted. “After I talk to your mother.” At the foot of the stairs he crouched down to Faith’s level. “I’d really like to talk to your mom alone.”
    Faith’s mouth screwed up. “Why?”
    “I have to convince her to marry me.”
    He ignored Liz’s gasp and watched for Faith’s reaction. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth pursed. “She said you weren’t her boyfriend. I asked.”
    He grinned and leaned closer. “I just have to talk her into it.”
    “Grandma says nobody can ever talk my mom into anything. She has a hard head.”
    “So do I, and I make a living talking people into things. But maybe you could put in a few good words for me later.”
    As Faith considered, her eyes brightened. “Okay. Mom, can I see if Roberto’s home? You said he had new puppies.”
    Liz stretched out the cloth then balled it again. “Go ahead, but just for a little while.”
    Jonas straightened as he watched Faith race toward the house across the street. “You’ve done an excellent job with your