“Your mother and Joe’s father had a thing. She wanted to marry him, and our guess is his refusal, and then subsequent relationship with Joe’s mom, plus what happened with you, is why she’d like the Trainers run out of town.”

“No way... really?” The thought of his rule-following, do-the-right-thing-at-all-times mother involved with Tim Trainer was a hell of a shock.

“Really.”

“I can’t imagine my mom young, but I’m sure she was.”

“And maybe pretty.”

“Maybe, and thanks for telling me, because it does help to know there’s more at the root of her anger than just me. But I still need her to stop hounding you guys.”

They both looked to the door as Grace started to cry. Piper got there first.

“Hey there, baby girl.”

Dylan looked over her shoulder at the little girl. Her hair was like a halo, face red, eyes squinty. In fact, she looked like he did after a night on the drink, minus the halo.

“I guess she needs to eat now, then have a bath?”

“Sounds the right order from memory with Ava. Let me get some food for her. I got enough to supply the local school, and had help from Melody.”

“Melody?”

“A local with a child Grace’s age. Did you know that some brands have 50 percent more sugar than others, and that it’s really best to stick with milk and water? She said Grace should still have a bottle but that it’s to supplement the food, as that’s the most important thing at her age. I bought a formula she suggested and bottle. I need to boil it though.”

“But we’re adults right, we should be able to do this?”

He turned and gave her a reassuring smile he didn’t feel. That woman had been scary in the supermarket. Who knew there were so many ways you could poison a child with just a jar of baby food that had too many calories? Dylan kept those thoughts to himself.

“Totally. I brought these hard biscuits Melody called Zwieback’s, because she’s probably teething.”

“Did you get her number?”

“No, but I know Dr. Google intimately.”

When he had everything ready he took Grace and held her on his knee, as they had no high chair. Piper put a small white bib trimmed in pink with three cute kittens on it around her little neck. Then she picked up the spoon and loaded it with baby food.

“Okay, sweetheart, you need to eat this now or the two inadequate adults who are caring for you will be at a loss what to do next.”

“Hey, speak for yourself,” he said, watching Piper’s face. Emotion was written all over it. Joanie’s loss cut deep, plus there was worry for Grace, and lastly herself.

Dylan saw a row of white teeth as Piper opened her mouth the same time as Grace did.

“She ate it.”