That evening when Len opened the door the smell of the chicken cooking filled the apartment.
“Daddy!” Jessie greeted him. “I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”
“Chicken Paprika,” Len said triumphantly, hugging her. “Just you wait. It will be delicious.” He looked at Sarah. “Everything go okay?”
Sarah nodded. “She’s been begging for a snack, but I put it off. Whatever you made smells delicious. I didn’t want her to spoil her appetite.”
Len beamed. He imagined that he heard a new note of respect in Sarah’s voice.
“Thank you,” he said, grinning.
After Sarah left, Len opened the oven. The chicken did look delicious, reddish brown and bubbly. He boiled some frozen peas and together he and Jessie set the table.
“Is Emma going to eat this, too?” Jessie asked. “She only has five teeth.”
“Oh, we
