Stop, Lita.” Napoleon swatted her away as she tried to fluff his pillow the next evening. “I’m all right.” He lay back, wiggling on the recliner in his living room. “Worry wart. Rachel, tell her to leave me alone.”

“You can’t blame her for wanting to pamper you.” Rachel moved from the chimney. “We were all worried.”

“I’m fine.” Napoleon touched his swollen jaw. “I would’ve stayed in the hospital if I wanted to be bothered.”

“Do you understand how scared I was for you?” Lita walked past the couch in black pumps, floral skirt swaying. “I thought you were going to die.”

“Girl, I’ve lived through worse than that.” Napoleon crossed his arms over the blanket. “It’s gonna take more than some hoodlums to stop me.”

“Well, one thing’s for sure.” Lita glanced at Rachel. “He still has his spunk.”

Rachel smiled. “Definitely.”

“Scott, you need help with the sandwiches?” Lita yelled.

Rachel watched her from the corner of her eyes.

“No,” Scott shouted from the kitchen. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“So.” Rachel smiled at Lita. “How long you plan on staying in town?”

“Not sure.” Lita hurried back to Napoleon’s side.

“Go on, girl.” He pushed at her, mumbling.

Rachel grinned.

“Since this happened I’m not sure how long I’ll be around.” Lita sat on the couch and crossed her legs. “Might move here.”

“Move to Willowick County?” Rachel bit her lip. “Interesting.”

“Ah, jeez.” Napoleon fixed the blanket. “I’ll never get a moment’s peace.”

Lita laid her arm on the back of the couch, winking. “You know you want me here.”

Napoleon grunted. “I want the opportunity to miss you.”

The women laughed.

Bobby entered the front door while knocking. “What the hell? You were just attacked and this door is unlocked?”

Napoleon gestured to Bobby with both hands. “Here’s the other worry wart.”

“You can save the jokes because I’m not laughing.” Bobby slammed the door. “Keep this damn door locked. In fact, I’m getting you a gun.”

“I don’t want a gun. Stop treating me like an invalid. I’m a grown man.”

“He’s right, Uncle,” Lita said. “Might not be such a bad idea.”

Napoleon kicked under the blanket. “What do I need a gun for?”

“So what happened last time doesn’t happen again.” Bobby cut his eyes to Rachel on his way to the hall. “Little Brother?”

“Big Brother,” Scott shouted back. “Didn’t know you were coming by.”

“How you doing, Lita?” Bobby waved.

“I’d be better if my uncle would let me take care of him.”

Napoleon straightened the pillow behind his head. “Bobby, she’s driving me crazy.”

Bobby snickered, but his smile faded when he looked at Rachel.

She waved.

“I need to talk to my brother.” He left the room without acknowledging her.

“That was rude,” Lita said.

“It’s okay.” Rachel faked a smile. “Bobby doesn’t trust me.”

Lita squinted. “Does he have any reason not to?”

“No.” Rachel swallowed. “Not at all.”

* * *

“What’s up?” Scott abandoned the tuna fish and salad spread mixture long enough to hug his brother. “You doing okay?”

“Tuna fish, huh?”

“Yeah, Rachel loves tuna fish.” Scott laid out bread on plates and dumped the mixture on to each slice. “You do too—”

“Get rid of her.” Bobby pointed toward the kitchen doorway. “I’m telling you she had something to do with Napoleon’s robbery.”

“It makes no sense how much you hate her when she’s been nothing but nice to you.” Scott completed another sandwich. “Is it because she’s black or something?”

Bobby shook his head, eyes wide. “How could you say that?”

“Am I right?”

“How dare you? I’m not racist, Scott. How could you ask that?”

“Because you’re inventing reasons not to like her.”

“She’s suspicious,” Bobby shouted. “You can’t see it because you’re in lust.”

“I l0ve her.”

“Oh, please. Stop it, Scott. You’re in love with the idea of Rachel. You’re not in love with her.”

Scott tilted to the side, holding his waist. “Come again?”

“You never felt like your life had meaning and you wanted to rescue someone and she needed rescuing. It’s—”

“No, no, no. That’s not it.”

“It is it. You don’t know shit about this girl. You can’t love her.”

“Sometimes you just know the person is the one.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Bobby walked around the table. “I’m worried, man.”

“Why?” Scott got potato chips out the cabinet and sprinkled them on the plates. “You barely acted like I existed when we were growing up so why do you care now?”

“This is not about childhood jealousy.”

Scott crunched chips. “I wasn’t jealous of you.”

“This is about Rachel ruining your life or better yet ending it. She knows something about that robbery.”

“You’re crazy.”

“What?” Lita sashayed into the kitchen. “What were you saying, Bobby?”

He glanced at Scott who looked away.

“Are you talking about Rachel?” Lita approached the table. “Bobby, I’m talking to you.”

“It’s nothing,” he answered.

Scott fidgeted, swallowing salty chip crumbs.

“Is that why you’re so cold to Rachel?” she asked Bobby. “You think she had something to do with the robbery?”

“Ignore him, Lita,” Scott said. “Bobby’s just saying shit because he’ll do anything to get Rachel out my life.” He snatched up the plates. “But, nothing he says will ever make that happen. I love Rachel.” He headed out the room. “And, he’ll just have to deal with it.”