They were finally gone. I knew Archie could not have been happy with the way Sharon spoke to Hunter and Tyler. They’d been married for less than twenty-four hours and there was already an issue.

“Our momma never talked to us like she does,” Hunter said, as though he was reading my mind.

“I know she didn’t,” I said. “But your momma was a very, very sweet lady and she loved you with all her heart. And she was truly your momma. She carried you both in her tummy for nine months and then brought you into the world, which I am pretty sure wasn’t an easy thing to do.”

“How did we get out?” Hunter asked with all the wide-eyed innocence of a little boy.

“Magic,” I said, sincerely. “Babies are magic and miracles!”

“Huh,” Hunter said, thinking about what I’d said.

“Sharon’s not sweet one bit,” Tyler said. “Now do you see what we meant about some people just don’t like kids?”

“Listen, do you want to know what I think? I mean, what I really, really, really think?”

“Yeah!” they both said.

“Let’s go clean up the kitchen together and I’ll tell you.”

Hunter made himself busy returning the milk, butter, syrup, and eggs to the refrigerator while Tyler cleared the table, handing me plates and mugs to rinse and put in the dishwasher.

“So what do you think, Miss Holly?” Tyler said.

His top and bottom front teeth were growing in fast and his lisp was all but gone.

“I think I miss the way you used to talk before your teeth started coming in.”

“They had a growth spurt. Now, come on. You promised!”

“I think you two are the greatest little boys I have ever known, and I’ll bet you that when Sharon gets to know you, she’ll think so, too.”

“No way,” Tyler said.

“But! I think she’s super nervous, and that’s why she says things that sound a little bit mean. They just pop out of her mouth before she realizes how they’re going to sound to you.”

“What’s nervous got to do with it? We’re just kids,” Hunter said.

“Yeah, it’s not like we’re going to bite her or something.”

“Well, as I said, she doesn’t really know you yet, does she?”

Tyler said, “Why does Dad act so silly around her?”

“That’s a harder question to answer,” I said. “I don’t really know a reason why he does, but you’re right, men can get pretty silly around women.”

“What are we going to do today?” Tyler said.

I assumed then that my answers had satisfied them.