Nora's appetite had disintegrated, but she accepted a plate from Rachel anyway. "Are they cold?" she joked.

"No, but this was a close call, my friend." Rachel bopped Nora's nose with the spatula.

"It wouldn't have been a close call if you'd been home."

Nora turned. Her dad stood just behind Nolan, hovering in the doorway. Get away from him. It was irrational—her dad wouldn't lay a hand on Nolan. But, it didn't matter. It was all she could do not to yank Nolan behind her.

Her dad's eyebrows creased. "Where were you, hon? You had me worried sick."

"I'm really sorry," she said. "I lost track of time."

He looked between Nolan and Nora.

"Nol, come have some pancakes," she said, waving him over. He pushed away from the door, and she could breathe again.

"I don't mean to toot my own horn, but my pancakes are delicious," Rachel said as she handed him a plate.

Nolan smiled. "Thanks."

"Oh, you're very welcome."

They settled at the table. Nora made herself sit still. Be normal.

She glanced at her dad as he claimed the seat adjacent to hers. "You're not worth it."

She cut into her pancakes.

"You remember Nolan, right, Isaac?" Rachel asked. Nora tensed, an instinct, then forced her shoulders to relax. Everything's fine. Rachel was there. He was always happier when Rachel was there.

"Yes," he said, a polite smile at the ready. "Hello, Nolan."

Nolan's returning smile was forced. "Hi," he said.

"Are you the one who kept my daughter out all night?"

Her grip tightened on her fork. Leave him alone. Please.

"Uh..."

"I needed help on a project," Nora said, the lie smooth despite its suddenness. "We lost track of time. I'm sorry."

"And you didn't tell me you were leaving?"

She bit her lip. "I didn't want to wake you."

He nodded. "Alright," he said. "I understand. But let me know next time, okay? I need to make sure you're safe."

"You're worthless."

She smiled. "Okay."

"So, what are you guys up to today?" Rachel asked.

"We're gonna head to Ashfield." Again, smooth and sudden. She glanced at Nolan. He nodded, playing along.

"Cool," Rachel said. "If you want, I can give you guys a lift on my way back home."

"Yeah, sure," she said. "Thanks."

"Anyone else going to the park?" Rachel took a huge bite of her last pancake. "Is there a party you failed to invite me to, favorite niece?"

"I'm your only niece."

"True," she said. She pointed her fork accusingly at Nora. "If I had another one, I'm sure she'd invite me to a park party."

Nora laughed and took another bite. She was sure the pancakes were delicious, but she was barely able to taste anything, her other senses on too high of an alert. "I don't know if anyone else is coming," she said. She shrugged. "It was a spur of the moment decision."

"Not surprising." There was laughter in her dad's voice, but she bit her lip. What would happen the moment they were alone?

Another glance at Nolan. How much of their pain could he sense? He was so observant. And with what happened last night...

She couldn't believe she'd broken down. And to stay out all night? That had just made things worse.

What would her dad break next?

✝

Rachel dropped them off at Ashfield Park, and, with a joking comment about being good, she left.

Nora moseyed over to the swings and collapsed onto one. They were all free. At eight in the morning, the park was basically empty, save a couple kids playing on the slide and their guardian watching them from a picnic table.

Nolan sat next to her. She twisted her foot into the ground, covering the toe of her sneaker with wood chips. "I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?"

She swept her hand at the park. "For this. I know you wanted to get some more sleep before we filmed later."

"I wasn't going back to bed."

"You're such a liar."

He smiled. She returned the sentiment.

They pumped their legs, swinging through the air. Nora closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the warm breeze on her face and the sound of grinding metal as the chains sent her back and forth, back and forth.

"Are you okay?" Nolan asked.

She opened her eyes. "Yeah," she said. "Why?"

His eyebrows rose.

"I was just being dramatic," she said. "I accidentally broke my guitar last night, and my dad got ticked off because he spent a lot of money on it."

"Your guitar broke?"

She reached for her necklace. "Yeah," she said. Her eyes widened as it hit her: "Crap—we didn't finish filming all of my scenes. Does that mean we have to redo? For consistency?"

"We don't have to," he said. "It's okay if we just finish and mix them up. Or, we could just use the bits we have."

She scrunched her nose.

"We can redo them if you want," he said.

"You sure?"

He nodded. "'Course."

"On that note, we should probably call Andy and let him know where we are," Nora said. It was a struggle grabbing her phone while soaring through the air, but she managed. "That way, he doesn't go to our houses and we're not there."

She called Andy, and a half-hour later, he arrived with Willow, Max, and Erin in tow. Nora slowed on the swing, but Andy had his eyes set on the now abandoned slide. "Slide! Yes!" he shouted.

"You're a three-year-old," Willow informed him as they approached the slide.

"Yeah? Well, you're boring."

"Oh, burn," she deadpanned.

Nora grinned and resumed pumping her legs. It would be a few minutes.

"You wanna go on the slide?" she asked, turning her attention to Nolan.

"No."

She pouted. "Aw, come on, No-No."

"The answer's right in the name."

"I'm the king of the whole damn world!" Andy shouted from the top of the slide. He thrust his fists in the air.

"Swear jar!" Willow said.

"Dammit!"

"Maybe he'll swear enough to get us a pizza at the bowling alley," Nora said.

"I heard that!"

"Do you deny the possibility?" she called.

He paused. "Shut up!"

She grinned. Mmm, what kind would they get? Cheese sounded good, but pepperoni...

"We're so getting pizza," Willow said.

"Well, now that I know you ass...ingle ladies want me to swear, I'm not gonna."

Max snickered. "Nice save."

"Assingle," Willow said.

"You heard me."

"Can you define the word for us?"

"Google it." He dropped onto the slide, slid down...and promptly tripped and fell when he reached the bottom. "Shit!" he cried.

"Swear jar!" Nora and Willow shouted in unison.

"You know what?" Andy got to his feet and shoved his nose dramatically into the air. "I think it's time to go."