Something About Harry(42)
Mimi nodded, her deep eyes confused. The bob of her curly head was slow. “Uh-huh.”
Harry pulled her close to his chest, burying his nose in her hair, taking deep breaths. For a brief moment, Mimi sunk into Harry’s arms, giving him the opening he needed to cuddle her closer. From where Mara stood, she saw just the slightest tremble of his fingers, gripping Mimi so tight she then began to squirm.
Mara popped up, placing a hand on his arm. “She’s okay now, Harry,” she offered quietly.
Harry’s lips thinned as he rested his head on top of Mimi’s to eyeball Mara, his jaw tight. “Says the woman who used that word just yesterday. I think we have a difference of opinion on its meaning.”
Oh yay. Mara-blaming Harry had arrived. She stiffened in guilt as a new fear began to reside in her gut. Did someone take the children because of what had happened yesterday? That made no sense. No one knew what happened yesterday but her, the girls, and Guido. “Listen, we need to set aside some of the other stuff for right now and talk.”
Mimi squirmed in Harry’s arms again, bracing her small hands on his forearms. “You’re squeezing me too tight, Uncle Harry!”
Harry loosened his grip, letting Mimi slide down his legs until her purple-sneakered feet hit the floor and she went off to hunt down Coconut. “Someone, someone unauthorized, took my children, and Cora’s nowhere to be found,” he said between clenched teeth.
“Yeah. Someone did. And Cora’s at home. Wanda checked in on her. She was fast asleep. So, WTF, Harry?” Nina groused, holding her hand out to Mimi who zipped across the room and took it as easily as if Nina had offered her candy.
She swung Mimi up in her arms, wrinkling her nose at Mimi with a warm smile. “So what did we talk about when we talked about strangers? Say it again for Auntie Nina so she knows you get it, pretty princess. It’s more important than anything, like, ever.”
Mimi nodded dutifully, her sweet face expressing thought. “You said no matter what, even if the lady says she knows Uncle Harry or you or Mara or anyone in my family, I can’t go with her unless I know her and Uncle Harry gives me permission. And if she tries to take me somewhere, I have to scream like this!” Mimi opened her mouth and let out a squeal, long and high.
Nina winced, placing a finger over her lips to quiet her. “Not ever, ever. Got that? Stranger danger, right? And if someone tries to take you, a stranger or a bad person or maybe even someone who seems nice, but someone you don’t know, what else are you supposed to do?”
Mimi paused in thought, her round face scrunching. “Say your name really loud?”
Nina held up her fist for Mimi to knock, popping it open to imitate it blowing up. “Boom, little lady. You remember that all the time, okay? Fletch, too. There are lots of bad people out there. No way I’m gonna let them hurt you, ever, ever. You call, I come, okay? Now, go find Aunt Wanda. She’s taking you and your stinky little bro for some dinner and then ice cream.”
This time, Mimi’s squeal was of joy, but it made Harry blanch as he watched her scurry down the hall to locate Wanda. “You’re scaring her,” he accused, Angry Harry back at the helm of his I Hate Werewolves Ship.
“Dude, somebody’s got to. Jesus. You can’t even trust the school to look out for them! The kids need to know this crap, fucknuts. They’re never too young to learn there’s some bad shit out there. That’s your job. If you won’t do it, I’ll damned well do it for you. You wanna stop me?”
He ran a hand through his hair, inhaling deeply, clenching and unclenching his fist. “We’ll talk about that damn school later. For now, you’re right. I don’t know what made them go with this woman. I know my sister, and if I ever knew anything about her, I know she taught them better. I’ve taught them better. And who the fuck is this woman?” he seethed. “Wait, I know. Bet she has something to do with all of you.”
Whoa. Harry swearing and accusing. Less and less like the Harry she’d once held a wedding, complete with doves and flowered arches, in her mind with. Fatigue, fear, and, in general, Harry’s pissy mood left Mara pissy, too. They’d coddled, cajoled, apologized, catered to his grudge against being paranormal long enough.
Harry’s poor-baby account was officially in the red.
Pushing Nina aside, Mara went on the attack. “Harry? Shut up. Stop being an asshole, come into the kitchen, sit the hell down, and let’s figure this out. Because I’m damn tired of your crappy attitude. Yes. I, Mara Flaherty, turned you, Harry Emmerson, into a werewolf. Boo muthaeffin’ hoo. It’s done. There’s no going back. Now either shut up and lay off the grudging, or I’m going home and leaving you here to your own devices. If you think you got this, then we’ll all leave you to the getting. But don’t you call me when the full moon comes and you don’t know what to do when this,” she yanked another stray tuft of hair sprouting from his cheek so hard he winced, “becomes a full-bodied event, because I’m going to tell you to—suck—it!” She spat out her last words in his face, standing on tiptoe, finger wagging under his nose.