Jake crossed his arms in front of his chest. But when he looked down at his food, he probably realized that he couldn’t eat with folded arms, so he loosened his stance and started shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth.

“M’m, hw’s the n’ school?”

“Swallow before you speak, please.” To be honest, Sherry was quietly excited about his new school. No metal detectors or drug dealers lurking around. She smiled at Madison, who looked as if she had a bad smell under her nose. The corners of her mouth fell. What the heck was going on with Madison? Was she thinking about her own school days?

Her earlier conversation with Danielle had changed how she saw Madison’s behavior. It wasn’t that she felt pity for her. No, it was more like—

“Why not?” Jake whined.

“What was that, baby?”

Rita Mae covered Sherry’s hand with hers. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking.” Sherry leaned toward Jake. “What was your question again?”

Jake just pouted.

Madison cleared her throat. “He asked if he could come with us to work one day to see the Archer.”

Sherry blinked. Madison had listened to him and even bothered to repeat his words? She had obviously missed more than Jake’s question.

Her mouth fell open when Madison told him in a patient voice, “We have to work there, so we can’t look after you at the same time.”

Jake stared at her. He probably was as surprised as Sherry was. “How about if I’m really good? Or…” He smiled. “I could help you.”

“I’m sorry, baby, but that’s not possible. Madison’s right. But if you want, we can drive to the Archer when we’re not working. We can also introduce you to Danielle then.”

The gap in Jake’s teeth showed when he grinned at them.

Madison leaned back and resumed eating the few things she’d put on her plate.

“Anyone interested in desert?” Rita Mae asked after a while.

“Yeah!” Jake jumped up, almost knocking over his half-filled glass of water.

Sherry caught it at the last moment. “Hold your horses.” She winked at him and stood. “You stay here. I’ll get desert.”

Madison was staring at her half-empty plate and didn’t seem interested in desert.

Had something happened at her meeting with her lawyer? Just one way to find out. “Madison, wanna help me?”

A line formed between Madison’s eyebrows before she stood and followed Sherry without protesting.

As soon as they had reached the fridge, which couldn’t be seen by the dinner table because it was at the back of the open-space kitchen, Sherry touched Madison’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Madison looked at her as if she was surprised by the question but also Sherry’s gentle voice. “Sure. Why’re you asking?”