Mike next door?” Laura asked, spearing a single cucumber from her salad and chomping it with way more vigor than any ten-year-old should. Aubrey almost choked on her mouthful—large mouthful—of lasagna. “I…what?” she squeaked. “Well, I figured at some point you and Mr. Mike would go out.” She said it matter-of-factly as she found another cucumber and captured it. “Why?” Bradlee asked, leaning in. It made Aubrey feel better. At least this wasn’t something her sister had cooked up with her niece. “Because he looks at Aunt Aub the same way Sammie Ann Flynn looks at Matthew Johnson in school.” Laura shrugged and snagged a piece of sausage out of the gooey cheese on her lasagna. Aubrey had noticed she liked to deconstruct her food as she ate it. “And how is that?” Aubrey asked. “Like this.” Laura pulled a face that left the adults snickering. “That looks like a sick cow,” Aubrey said. Laura shrugged again. “Well, that’s the look. I know because I’ve tried it in the mirror.
