By the time Lucy had made it into the house, she was sweaty and tired, but triumphant. She accompanied Sam to the kitchen, where Holly was having an after-school snack and Mark sat on the floor with Renfield.
“You’re upright,” Mark said, glancing at Lucy with a brief smile. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” she said with a laugh. “It’s good to be moving around again.”
“Lucy!” Holly hurried over to admire the crutches. “Those are cool! Can I try them?”
“They’re not for playing, sweetheart,” Sam said, bending to kiss his niece. He helped Lucy onto a stool at the wooden worktable, and leaned the crutches next to her. He glanced at Mark, who had pinned Renfield to the floor and was attempting to open his mouth while wearing a pair of heavy-duty gardening gloves. “What are you doing with the dog?”
“I’m trying to give him his third antiseizure pill.”
“He’s only supposed to have one.”
“What I meant was, we’re on the third attempt.” Mark scowled at the stubborn bulldog. “He chewed up the first one and sneezed the powder into my face. The second time I pried his mouth open with a dessert spoon and shoved the pill in. He managed to spit out the pill and eat the spoon.”
“He didn’t really eat the spoon, though,” Holly said. “He coughed it up before it went down.”
Shaking his head, Sam went to the refrigerator, took out a piece of cheese, and handed it to Mark. “Hide the pill in this.”
“He’s lactose intolerant,” Mark said. “It gives him gas.”
“Trust me,” Sam replied, “no one will notice.”
Looking skeptical, Mark shoved the capsule into the cube of cheese, and offered it to Renfield.
The bulldog gobbled down the cheese and plodded out of the kitchen.
“Guess what?” Holly asked Lucy, crouching on the floor to inspect her Aircast brace. “Dad and Maggie are getting married in two months. And I’m going on the honeymoon with them!”
“You finally set the date?” Sam asked Mark.
“We’re doing it in mid-August.” Mark went to the sink to wash his hands. “Maggie wants to get married on a ferry.”
“You’re kidding,” Sam said.
“Nope.” Mark blotted his hands. Turning around, he told Lucy, “A significant portion of our courtship occurred on the Washington State ferry system. It forced Maggie to sit with me until she finally realized how magnetically attractive I was.”
“Must have been a long ride,” Sam said, and ducked a fake jab Mark threw at him. Laughing, he added, “I can’t believe they’ll let you have a wedding ceremony on one of those tubs.”
“Believe it or not, we wouldn’t be the first. But the ceremony won’t be on an active ferry—there’s a retired antique one on Lake union , with a great view of the city and the Space Needle.”
“That’s romantic,” Lucy said.
“I’m going to be the maid of honor,” Holly said, “and Uncle Sam’s going to be the best man.”
“I am?” Sam asked.
“Who else has such ample story material for the reception speech?” Mark asked. He grinned at his brother. “Will you be my best man, Sam? After all we’ve been through, there’s not even a close second. I actually almost like you.”
“I’ll do it,” Sam said. “But only if you promise to take the dog when you move out.”
“Deal.” They exchanged a brief, back-slapping hug.
As evening approached, Mark and Holly left to pick up Maggie from work and take her out to dinner. “Have fun,” Mark said as he and Holly walked out hand in hand. “Don’t wait up for us, we’re going to be out late.”
“Par-tay!” Holly exclaimed before the door closed.
Lucy and Sam were left alone. Sam kept staring in the direction his brother had gone in, absorbed in some private reflection. Then he glanced at Lucy, and something changed in his face. The silence turned electric.
Sitting on a stool at the kitchen worktable, Lucy asked casually, “What are we having for dinner?”
“Steak, potatoes, and salad.”
“That sounds great. Let me help. Can I chop vegetables for the salad?”
Sam brought a cutting board, a chef’s knife, and raw vegetables and greens. As Lucy chopped cucumber and yellow bell peppers, Sam opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.
“No jam jar?” Lucy asked with a faux-wistful expression as Sam gave her a crystal stem filled with dark, glittering Cabernet.
“Not for this wine.” He clinked his glass with hers and made a toast. “To Mark and Maggie.”