Abbie shrugs, her small hands buried in the pie dough they’re attempting to make as she stares up at Caroline with her bright blue eyes. “’Cuz you never touch each other like normal anymore. And sometimes you guys don’t say things like normal, either. You just… look.”

She looks both indignant and puzzled and Caroline just stares for a long moment, because she’d had no idea how much Abbie had ever noticed between her and Hannah. She has to choke back the ridiculous laugh that wants to bubble up in her throat.

“And she was shaking her head this morning before school and saying Caroline. And she does that to me, sometimes, when she is losing her temper with me.” Abbie adds on.

And now she really has to hold back a laugh. She imagines that was after she’d texted Hannah to confirm she would pick up Abbie from her half day today, purposefully slipping in a joke about not being sure if she’d even be awake by then, given how late someone had kept her up the night before, as they’d watched a movie together before bed.

Abbie’s eyes narrow at her expression. “If you’re fighting, you have make up! You have to.” She looks the picture of serious and her expression is enough to sober Caroline’s laughter.

She understands Hannah’s not wanting to tell Abbie, she does. And ultimately, Abbie is Hannah’s daughter, so it’s Hannah’s choice. But, damn, a misunderstanding like this would be so much easier to handle if she could tell her.

All she does is shake her head, still grinning – because Abbie with her indignant expression, her hand in braided pigtails that she is sure looked pristine when Hannah did them in the morning but are now messy, with her hands covered in pie crust dough, just is an adorable picture. “We aren’t fighting. I promise.”

Abbie huffs out a sigh, before she turns back to the dough. “Okayyyy,” she draws out. And goes back to the dough while Caroline continues to chop the apples.

When they start rolling out the pie dough on the counter, doing a real mediocre job of it if Caroline says so herself, Abbie announces, “Norah thinks her dad should date my mom.”

Caroline freezes. Again? Jared hasn’t mentioned anything about Hannah since Father’s Day and Hannah – who sees him fairly regularly since Norah and Abbie have become best friends – has never mentioned anything again.

“And what do you think about that?” Danger zone, her mind says to her, caution written all over her tone.

Abbie wrinkles her nose. “No offense to your brother and I think it would be fun to be sisters with Norah. But no.”

Treading very carefully, Caroline resumes working with the rolling pin. “Not ready for your mom to date? It’s okay if that’s how you feel.”