While the kid put on his Batman pajamas, Hank made him a sandwich. No milk, just a Sprite and two Oreos to go with it. “You all right about this, Millie?”

“I’m happy to have him. What a sweet little boy.”

Hank wondered if she was losing her sight, and maybe hearing, too! The kid had killed half her sunflowers, tracked mud in, and asked if Rambo was contagious.

Ten minutes later, the boy was sitting cross-legged at the end table and eating without spilling anything for a change.

“You going to be all right with him, Millie, for a while? I need to call a few guys and issue death threats.”

She smiled. “We’ll be fine.”

As he called from the kitchen, Hank heard Simon ask Millie what happened to her leg. When she told him that Hank ran over her, the kid moved closer to her and gave her a hug, and then said that Hank had tried to kill him several times. Once when they played football, once when he tried to teach him to row a boat, and another time when Hank threatened to throw him down the bowling lane if he didn’t hit at least one pin. Simon whispered, “I’ll watch out for you, miss.”

“And I’ll watch out for you, Simon.” She glanced in Hank’s direction. “We’ll both be safer if we stick together.”

By the time Hank finished trying every number for the flown-the-coop angels, Simon had fallen asleep beneath her protective arm.

Hank kneeled beside her chair. “I’ll find someplace to take him.”

“No,” she said softly. “This little guy belongs with you. He needed you, Hank, or he wouldn’t have fought so hard to get here. He told me his mother had to take this assignment or lose her job. He’s worried about her, but he says you’re the only one who always tells him the truth. If you say she’ll be back, she will.”

Hank put his hand over Simon’s head. “I’m the one who had to tell him his dad was dead. He was only six then, but he knew all the other things people were saying weren’t true.” Hank looked up at Millie without bothering to hide a tear threatening to fall. “I didn’t know what else to say. I just held him until he cried himself to sleep.”

Millie smiled. “You are his rock.”

“But I can’t take care of him right now. I have the bomb threat and you to watch over.”