THE FOUR OF THEM WALKED out holding hands; Mr. Smith was perched on Liam’s shoulder, Mrs. Smith on Crystal’s.
Thirty minutes after they set off, Kate called Winnie to inquire about the kids.
‘They’re okay, they’re having so much fun.’
Winnie had expected Kate to check in every half hour, at least. As far as she was aware, this little family had spent weeks and days sequestered in the apartment, and that had been over a month ago. Surprisingly, there was a forty-minute gap between the second and the third call, which was a dramatic improvement, considering the situation.
When Kate called again for the fourth time, Winnie asked permission to take the kids to lunch. She gave her okay only after Winnie mentioned the kid friendly café nearby.
‘Would you like anything from the shop?’ Winnie
