“I’m glad to hear that,” Penny said.

“What about you and Scott? Do you think it’s serious? He seems great with the kids.”

“He is, but I don’t know if we’ll ever get that far. I don’t think kids are in Scott’s future,” Penny said forlornly.

“Why not?”

“I think the abuse he went through with his parents scares him. He makes comments about how being an uncle is enough for him. And I’ve always wanted kids, so…”

“I hate that they went through so much. But we don’t all become our parents. I get why Scott’s scared, but look at Quincy and Tru. Quincy might have fallen down a rabbit hole, but he climbed out, and he’s on a great path. Look at Sarah and Josie. They’re great with their kids. If they can move past the way their mom treated them, I’m sure Scott can, too.” She glanced at Quincy as he tried to stick his spoon in Lincoln’s ice cream, and Lincoln covered it with his hands, making Kennedy roar with laughter. “I keep wondering how Quincy and Tru learned to be so patient and loving when their mother was so awful. I don’t think Quincy gives himself enough credit where the kids are concerned.”

Penny turned her back to Quincy, speaking just above a whisper, and said, “He feels bad for not getting them into a safer situation sooner than when Tru found them.”

“But he tried several times. His mother kept sending people after him,” Roni said quietly. “He got beat up for it, and he never left the kids alone.”

“Really? I didn’t know he tried to get them out.”

Roni’s nerves prickled. “Oh. I assumed he told you.” She hoped she hadn’t made a mistake.

“He didn’t, but that sounds more like the Quincy I know.”

Lincoln put his hand in his ice cream, and Kennedy yelled, “Lincoln!”

Quincy picked up Lincoln’s hand by his wrist and said, “Hey, beautiful, think we can get those napkins?”

“Igoticeceambooful!” Lincoln said.

“I see that,” Roni said with a laugh. He was so stinking cute. She went to the table and wiped Lincoln’s hands, then tapped him on the tip of his nose. “There you go, little man.”

Kennedy popped out of her seat and said, “Penny, wanna see me dance?”

“Let’s get those sticky hands clean first,” Roni said, and Kennedy held her hands out for her to wipe them.

With clean hands, Kennedy sashayed and twirled around the room and said, “Look at me, Penny! Look what I can do! Will you come to my dance show?”

Lincoln toddled behind her, yelling, “Metoo!”

“Absolutely,” Penny said, wiping down the table as they danced.

Quincy put his arm around Roni and said, “There’s never a dull moment around them.”

Her nerves prickled again. “I think I made a mistake.”

“Just now?” he asked as the kids giggled and danced around the store.

She nodded.

“I doubt that. What happened?”

“I thought Penny knew that you had tried to get the kids away from your mom. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was a secret.”