Lily’s laugh gave way to an uneasy sigh. She leaned against the car. “Maybe having the Maycombs over for dinner will work things out. I just want this whole custody thing taken care of as soon as possible. It’s scary how fast stuff can change your life, y’know?” She wiped away a stray tear, missing Charlotte.
“I know.” Ben gave her a little pat before he headed to his car. “I’ll see you back at the house, okay?”
“Okay.”
Lily slid into the driver’s seat. “So Mimi-saurus,” she said, “how ’bout we go back to the house and take a nap?”
“No nap!” Mimi screamed from her car seat. “Go McDonald’s!”
CHAPTER 8
When Ben, Lily, and Mimi returned to the big McGilly house, a huge black animal was sprawled on the porch. “Oh, shit,” Ben swore. “Mordecai’s gotten out of his pen again.”
“Excuse me?” Lily said.
“The dog. Mother and Daddy’ve been keeping him in the pen out back since we got here. They were afraid he’d scare Mimi.”
Lily paused before opening the car door. “Is he dangerous?”
“He was when he was younger, but now he’s just old and cantankerous. He sleeps and farts most of the time. He’s always been good with kids, though, and if you call him by his name, he knows you’re friendly and won’t bother you.”
Just to be safe, Lily carried Mimi extra high on her hip when they reached the porch.
“Mordecai!” Ben called when they approached the door.
The rottweiler raised his huge head, glanced at Ben, and lowered it again.
“Cow!” Mimi exclaimed delightedly.
“He’s a doggie, sweetie,” Lily corrected her, “but he’s just about big enough to be a cow. His name’s Mordecai.”
At the sound of his name, Mordecai looked up at Lily and wagged his stumpy tail.
“Wow,” Ben said, unlocking the front door, “that’s the most energy I’ve seen him expend in years.”
When they walked into the house, Mordecai followed Lily close behind. At the stairs she said,
“You wait here, Mordecai. I’m gonna put Mimi down for her nap.”
When Lily came back downstairs, Mordecai was still sitting there dutifully. When she sat on the living room sofa, he joined her there, his bulky body occupying the length of the sofa, his huge head in Lily’s lap.
