“Of course I’ll let you,” Lily said. “After all, it’s Valentine’s Day, and what I got for each of you is on your beds.”

They both stormed up the steps and squealed when they found their tablets lying on their beds.

“What’s that all about?” Mack asked.

“They get their tablets back,” she said.

“But not their phones?”

“They still have a ways to go before they earn those.” She set her candy on the foyer table and hugged him. “Thank you for remembering us.”

He tipped her chin up with his knuckles and kissed her. She tiptoed and wrapped her arms around his neck. When it ended, he took a step back. “Best Valentine’s Day ever.”

“Absolutely, the very best ever,” she agreed.

Holly was still fuming at the breakfast table on Saturday morning. “I still think I should get at least five minutes with those punks,” she said as she slathered butter on a biscuit.

Lily was reminded of what she’d read in the journal about Rachel’s temper and determination. If Holly had lived in those days, the law to let women vote might have been passed a lot sooner than it had.

“You don’t need to take up for me,” Braden said. “I can take care of myself.”

“I’m not taking up for you, raccoon boy,” she smarted off. “I need to teach those sorry punks not to threaten me and Faith. If a girl whips their butts, they’ll sure know to leave everyone alone.”

She fussed about it all weekend, but by Monday afternoon she had settled down a little bit. When she got off the bus, she and Braden dropped their school things in their usual places and rushed into the kitchen, both of them talking at once.

Lily held up a hand. “One at a time, please.”

“Isaac and Faith want us to come to their house Saturday night for snacks and a movie,” Braden blurted out.

“Their parents said it would be okay, and we really want to go,” Holly said.

“And we won’t go to their house until after supper, like around six,” Braden butted in.

“We’ll be home by ten,” Holly said.

“That’s fine with me, but we’ll have to plan a night for them to come here real soon,” Lily answered.

“Are you going to marry Mack?” Holly asked out of the clear blue sky.

Lily’s mouth went dry, and her hands got clammy. “Why would you ask that?”

“You went to meet his parents, and they’re coming here to meet us,” Braden chimed in. “Me and Holly talked about it, and we really like Mack, but what if his mama and daddy don’t like us? I mean, they canceled the last time when they were supposed to come, and now they’re really coming, and . . .” His voice trailed off.