Scrubbed the coffee stain near the stove that had been there since Christmas.
Nia changed clothes three times.
First a red dress.
Then overalls.
Then the red dress over the overalls until Malik told her she had to choose.
“She’s not the president,” he said.
“She’s a car princess.”
“She’s Claire.”
Nia nodded.
“Princess Claire.”
Malik gave up.
At noon, a simple gray SUV pulled into the drive.
Not the fancy black one.
Claire stepped out wearing jeans, boots, and a plain winter coat.
Her hair was tied back.
No big jewelry.
No assistant.
No driver.
She carried two grocery bags and a bakery box.
Nia ran onto the porch.
“You brought snacks!”
“I made a promise.”
Malik stood behind her, hands in his pockets.
Claire looked at him.
There was a carefulness in her face.
Not awkward exactly.
Respectful.
Like she knew the size of what she had done and did not want to step too heavily into it.
“I hope this is okay,” she said, lifting the bags. “Soup ingredients. Fruit. And cinnamon rolls from a bakery in town. No brands. No fancy basket.”
Malik nodded.
“That’s okay.”
Nia gasped.
“Cinnamon rolls?”
“One for each of us,” Claire said. “And one extra for tomorrow if your dad allows it.”
Nia looked at Malik with prayer in her eyes.
He sighed.
“We’ll discuss it.”
Inside, Claire removed her boots without being asked because Nia told her that was the house rule.
Then she stood in the living room, looking at the place where she had almost been lost and found at the same time.
“It feels warmer in daylight,” she said.
“Stove behaves better when the wind isn’t trying to fight it.”
Claire smiled.
They ate cinnamon rolls at the kitchen table.
Nia got icing on her cheek.
Malik pretended not to notice until Claire handed him a napkin.
For a while, they talked about simple things.
School.
Cars.
Montana roads.
How Nia believed pancakes tasted better in animal shapes.
Claire listened more than she talked.
When Nia ran to her room to find a drawing she had made, Claire set her coffee down.
“I met with the hiring board yesterday,” she said.
Malik’s shoulders tightened.
“Board?”
“For the training facility.”
“I thought the offer was already real.”
“It is. I only mean they reviewed your experience. Ray spoke highly of you.”
“You called Ray?”
