Chris would. Naomi Hunter loved to bake almost as much as she loved her daughter and grandson. And the agents in the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms New York office loved her. Most specifically her pound cake. And anything else she made. The way the guys hounded him to bring something in, one would think he didn’t have anything better to do.
But he did.
Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. Maria, Lewis, and himself. Smiling. He shoved the photo back into his pocket and vowed to make sure they kept on smiling.
11
12:30 P.M.
MOONACHIE
Maria held the heavy-duty paint sprayer and went over the dinosaur one more time, careful to get every crease, every spot covered. She wanted to enjoy the work, but she kept picturing her son’s face. Lewis had cried when she’d sent him off to school this morning, but at least she’d been there to put him on the bus. She hadn’t seen her husband in almost three days. Then again, Lewis’s tears had dried quickly when his friend, Lucy, had taken his hand and told him she would sit with him on the bus.
It broke her heart that Lewis missed her so much, but she and her husband had come into the marriage with a pile of debt that had only worsened after Lewis was born early and spent three months in NICU.
Lewis would have to adjust. And besides, once the parade was over, her hours would settle back into something resembling a more normal schedule.
At least until the next parade.
She eyed her work and felt a surge of pride. Lewis would love the final result. She’d have to bring him by and show it to him.
She turned the sprayer off. Henry had called in sick today,so Maria had taken it upon herself to do the body of the dinosaur. Now she would let it dry for a bit before tackling the head and face.
“Need any help?”
Maria turned to see Christine Bridges, another talented artist, coming from the office. “Just trying to get some of this painting done.”
“Let me grab a sprayer and I’ll do this area.”
“Thanks.”
Christine returned and they got to work. “It’s hard to believe it’s already time for the parade. It seems like this year just flew by.”
“I know.” Maria smiled. This was her first year to work the parade. To her surprise, Leo had finagled the job for her and she loved it. She loved the steady income and the easing of some of the financial stress. They were actually getting some debt paid. “I’m eager to see it all come together.”
“It’s a sight, that’s for sure.”
Soon volunteers and other workers would swarm the float, covering every last piece of metal and burlap with greenery. They would help add the fine details to make the float a work of perfection. Maria couldn’t wait to see it roll down the street.
“Leo’s coming,” she said.
“Really?” Christine paused in her painting and looked up. “Are you two working things out between you?”
“Trying to. He promised to come so we could enjoy the parade as a family.” Once the painting was finished, her job was basically done. “We’re keeping it as a surprise for Lewis.”
“He’ll be so excited, you’ll have to sit on him to keep him still.”
Maria laughed. “I know.” But a wave of sadness hit her. She knew they’d agreed on the surprise aspect because they both wondered if it would really happen.
“What about your mother?”
Maria shrugged. “I asked her, but she just talks about how she’s an old woman and doesn’t have any business being in a crowd of people standing in the cold for hours.” She sighed. “I guess I don’t blame her, but it would be fun to have her here.” An idea hit her. “Hey, Christine?”
“Yes?”
“This float is all about attracting kids to the client’s toy store, right?”
“Sure. Dinosaurs, airplanes, toy soldiers—they’re all on here. Why?”
“What if we had real children ride in the float, playing with some of the toys, screaming their delight, et cetera?”
Christine raised a brow and her eyes
But he did.
Leo reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. Maria, Lewis, and himself. Smiling. He shoved the photo back into his pocket and vowed to make sure they kept on smiling.
11
12:30 P.M.
MOONACHIE
Maria held the heavy-duty paint sprayer and went over the dinosaur one more time, careful to get every crease, every spot covered. She wanted to enjoy the work, but she kept picturing her son’s face. Lewis had cried when she’d sent him off to school this morning, but at least she’d been there to put him on the bus. She hadn’t seen her husband in almost three days. Then again, Lewis’s tears had dried quickly when his friend, Lucy, had taken his hand and told him she would sit with him on the bus.
It broke her heart that Lewis missed her so much, but she and her husband had come into the marriage with a pile of debt that had only worsened after Lewis was born early and spent three months in NICU.
Lewis would have to adjust. And besides, once the parade was over, her hours would settle back into something resembling a more normal schedule.
At least until the next parade.
She eyed her work and felt a surge of pride. Lewis would love the final result. She’d have to bring him by and show it to him.
She turned the sprayer off. Henry had called in sick today,so Maria had taken it upon herself to do the body of the dinosaur. Now she would let it dry for a bit before tackling the head and face.
“Need any help?”
Maria turned to see Christine Bridges, another talented artist, coming from the office. “Just trying to get some of this painting done.”
“Let me grab a sprayer and I’ll do this area.”
“Thanks.”
Christine returned and they got to work. “It’s hard to believe it’s already time for the parade. It seems like this year just flew by.”
“I know.” Maria smiled. This was her first year to work the parade. To her surprise, Leo had finagled the job for her and she loved it. She loved the steady income and the easing of some of the financial stress. They were actually getting some debt paid. “I’m eager to see it all come together.”
“It’s a sight, that’s for sure.”
Soon volunteers and other workers would swarm the float, covering every last piece of metal and burlap with greenery. They would help add the fine details to make the float a work of perfection. Maria couldn’t wait to see it roll down the street.
“Leo’s coming,” she said.
“Really?” Christine paused in her painting and looked up. “Are you two working things out between you?”
“Trying to. He promised to come so we could enjoy the parade as a family.” Once the painting was finished, her job was basically done. “We’re keeping it as a surprise for Lewis.”
“He’ll be so excited, you’ll have to sit on him to keep him still.”
Maria laughed. “I know.” But a wave of sadness hit her. She knew they’d agreed on the surprise aspect because they both wondered if it would really happen.
“What about your mother?”
Maria shrugged. “I asked her, but she just talks about how she’s an old woman and doesn’t have any business being in a crowd of people standing in the cold for hours.” She sighed. “I guess I don’t blame her, but it would be fun to have her here.” An idea hit her. “Hey, Christine?”
“Yes?”
“This float is all about attracting kids to the client’s toy store, right?”
“Sure. Dinosaurs, airplanes, toy soldiers—they’re all on here. Why?”
“What if we had real children ride in the float, playing with some of the toys, screaming their delight, et cetera?”
Christine raised a brow and her eyes
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