Page 44 of Second Chance At Love

In the parking lot, Dillon followed her. “Do you want me to drive you? Or do you want me to follow you in my car?”

Cora hit the ring voice button. There was a tremor to her voice. “Henry, you had better be playing possum. That fall looked all too real.”

Henry slowly sat up, a grin on his face. His voice came over the app. “Did it look good?”

“Too good. You scared me,” breathed Cora with some relief.

“What just happened?” questioned Dillon, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Cora said the meeting was boring. I got her out of it,” shrugged Henry. He pulled his walker towards himself, putting on the brakes.

“You faked a fall to get Cora out of a meeting?” wondered Dillon in disbelief.

Cora felt her face flush. “Three hundred cupcakes, Dillon. Frosted. With dietary concerns. Handmade, home baked cupcakes.”

Dillon paused then nodded. “Okay, the fall might have been a bit dramatic but you could have just said no. Or told them you would get them from a bakery.”

“At the risk of the wrath of Susan Hythe?” Cora feigned a shudder. “No thank you. Henry saved me.”

“I’m a hero,” modestly stated Henry as he managed to get to his feet. “Now this hero is going to take a nap.”

“Thank you, Henry,” fondly smiled Cora. She shut off the ring app after Henry had made his way inside the house.

“He’s going to teach your boys some bad habits,” ruefully mentioned Dillon. “I’m sorry, I don’t really mean that. Henry just enjoys pranks every once in a while.”

“Henry is going to teach them they can have spontaneity and some joy in their lives,” softly countered Cora as she put her phone away. She gave Dillon a smile. “I am going grocery shopping then will be back for pickup. There is no way I am baking cupcakes for the school. Susan can find some other poor soul who is willing.”

“I think I will run a few errands myself. If you or Henry need anything, give us a call,” offered Dillon before he went to find his car in the parking lot.

A few hours later, Cora had her groceries. She picked up Nick and Oliver with a minimum of questions about Henry from concerned moms. Fortunately, Dillon seemed to have told most of the curious people that Henry was okay and it was just a stumble.

She was grateful for that. Being naturally shy, Cora didn’t like to be the center of attention.

Oliver was happy to see her, chatting about his day. Nick however, still seemed unhappy and closed off. He got into the van, doing up his seatbelt and immediately just stared out the window.

“How was your day, Nick?” Cora tentatively asked.

Nick shrugged.“Fine.”

All other questions were met with one word answers and Cora eventually gave up. She wondered if this attitude was dueto something new that had happened at school, or if it was still from Susan’s cruel words the other day about Cora moving on from Nate and basically accusing her of having an affair with Henry.

Had Nick understood the full context of what Susan had said? He was smart and a mature boy for his age. Were the accusations bothering him?

Cora bit her lip as she pulled into the driveway of the house. She would have to speak to Nick, but didn’t know how to delicately broach the subject.

As soon as she parked, Nick was out of the van, grabbing some bags of groceries and heading inside.

Well, at least he hadn’t run upstairs to his room like the other day, Cora thought with a small amount of relief. Oliver helped to grab some groceries, while Cora got Adam, bringing him into the house.

Nick and Henry were in the kitchen putting items away while Oliver grabbed Daisy’s leash. “I’m going to take her for a walk. Do you want to come, Nick?”

“Not today,” muttered Nick as opened the door to the fridge to put away some items.

Oliver shrugged. He and Daisy went outside.

“Any reason you didn’t want to go for a walk?” questioned Henry as he gave Nick a curious look.

Nick closed the fridge door, glancing at Cora before giving his attention to Henry. He squared his thin shoulders before saying, “I was hoping to talk to you. Privately.”