April dropped down on her knees and called Waylon over to her. He walked all the way around her, sniffed her jeans, and then nudged her hand and started purring. She stroked his fur and said, “I wouldn’t ever love those others like I do you. They’re sweet and they are my job, but you’re the boss.”

“Amen to that,” Nessa said. “He’s been right under my feet most of the day. He wanted to lay on my pattern pieces, or else sleep right beside the sewing machine.”

“Hey, honeys, I’m home,” Flynn called out when he came through the door. “And this AC feels wonderful.”

“That’s ‘cousins’ to you, not ‘honeys,’” Nessa scolded. “Go get washed up. Supper will be on the table in about ten minutes.”

“Yes, Mother,” Flynn teased.

Nessa shook a fist at him. “You call me that again, and you’ll be eating on the porch in the heat.”

Flynn laughed out loud and headed to the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later, got the salad dressings from the refrigerator, and poured three glasses of sweet tea. By then Nessa had the spaghetti on the table, and she and April were in their seats. Then he sat down at his normal place and even said a short grace when Nessa asked him to do that.

“Nanny Lucy wouldn’t like it if we didn’t give thanks. How was your day, Flynn?” Nessa asked.

“Amazing,” Flynn answered. “I’ve always liked doing new things, but working with wood is more calming than anything else I’ve tried. How about you two?”

“Got the job, and I love it.” April heaped her plate full of spaghetti and then added two thick chunks of bread to the side. “My main work is in the shelter, cleaning up the pens and playing with the animals. No one came to adopt any of them today.”

“Our new normal,” Nessa said.

“What does that mean?” April asked.

“You go to work at the clinic. Flynn goes to Jackson’s place. I work on quilting all afternoon so that when the craft fairs start up, I’ll have something to take,” Nessa answered. “That’s our new norm, and I think I like it, but what happens when we get the quilt finished?”

“Maybe by then Maudie will let me work more hours,” April said.

“And Jackson will decide he needs me to do more.” Flynn crossed his fingers up in the air like a little boy.

“Then our norm will change, and we’ll have to adjust to whatever it is then.” Nessa slid the salad over to Flynn.

“Yep,” April and Flynn said at the same time.

After supper, Flynn shooed Nessa out of the kitchen. “You cooked. I’ll take care of cleanup.”

“You wash,” April said. “I’ll dry and put the dishes away.”