Waves

CHAPTER 14

MOUSE

Mouse set Nora down about forty minutes after she'd asked to be put on the ground. He was giddy with both excitement and relief that Nora wanted to be a part of his family. And the truth? He wanted her to be.

Nora had clearly been through a lot in her life, if Mouse could tell anything by the nightmares and the story about Madison, and the way she was just slightly hesitant around everybody except for Jules. She needed a constant in her life, someone who she could rely on and wouldn't have to be afraid of. Someone who wouldn't leave her. Mouse wanted to be that person for Nora, and he knew that she was searching for it in him.

"Mouse?" Nora's soft, sweet voice pulled Mouse out of his thoughts.

Mouse glanced at her and said, "You want down?"

"As much as I love the free ride, yes, please," Nora responded politely. She was always so polite. It amazed Mouse.

He chuckled and set her on the ground, watching as she scampered over to Harrison and Maxi.

"She's settling in well," Jesse's voice sounded from behind Mouse and he jumped.

"Yeah," He agreed, turning to look at the tattooed man, "She is. I worry about her female influence, though. Jules and Talia are the only two girls even in the same country that she's been able to talk to for about three weeks."

"Well, when school starts she'll do better. There'll be girls in her class that she can talk to," Jesse replied.

Mouse nodded in agreement and watched as Harrison lighted the grill. Maxi had finished off the cheese and crackers and was rooting through the fridge for something more. That kid was an endless pit. He'd eaten Nora and Mouse through house and home in the first day and a half.

"We're eating in a half hour," Mouse called to Maxi.

The young boy looked up and said, "But I'm hungry now."

Mouse rolled his eyes and turned back to Jesse. "I'm going to go and make sure that supper is actually going to happen soon, since I'm also pretty hungry."

NORA

The morning after she'd put the star on top of the Christmas tree, Nora awoke to her door flinging open. "Nora, wake up!" A voice sounded next to her ear.

Nora groaned, rolling over and curling into a teensy ball under the middle of her sheets. Usually, she was awake at the crack of dawn, but she'd been exhausted after Harrison's and Maxi's energy the night before.

"Come on, sweetpea," Another voice sounded beside her ear, much more gentle than the first.

"Never thought I'd see the day that you went soft, Mouse!" The first voice teased.

And then the covers were ripped off of Nora's body and she squealed in alarm as the cool air hit her. "HEY!" She protested, propping herself up on her elbows.

Jesse was standing beside her bed, the sheets in his hand. Mouse was behind him, his arms crossed and his expression smug. Nora gave them both an indignant look.

"Morning to you too, sunshine," Jesse drawled, grinning cheekily at her.

Nora rolled to the edge of the bed, intending to smack his arm, but he anticipated her and jumped out of the way.

"Whatever," Nora rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, and then said, "What's the temperature today?"

"Coldish," Mouse answered, "That storm we've been talking about is supposed to hit at about noon or earlier today."