CHAPTER TEN

Soft afternoon light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the Gift's living room floor. Paige, having just arrived home from school fifteen minutes ago, sat cross-legged on the carpet with Janell, her babysitter. A small stack of Uno cards sat between them. Paige, looking down at the remaining three cards in her hand, grinned.

"You're letting me win, aren't you?" Paige accused playfully, though her voice carried an undertone of certainty.

"Who, me?" Janell feigned shock, her eyes twinkling playfully. "Maybe you're just having a really good day. Trust me, little girl…I don't ever let anyone win. Not on purpose. I'm too competitive for that."

"Uh-huh," Paige drawled, not quite buying it but happy to indulge in the fa?ade of competition. Their small talk—a mix of schoolyard tales and Janell's college anecdotes—filled the spaces between turns.

Paige liked Janell mainly because she liked hearing stories about dates and college classes. Janell was very pretty, and her nails were always gorgeous. Last night, Janell had done her nails and Paige and showed them off to all her friends at school. Janell's long, sleek hair fell gracefully over her shoulders, framing her pretty face. As they'd played the game, Paige had noticed her sitter's outfit and couldn't help but feel a little impressed and even mature. Janell was more than just her sitter, after all. She was her friend.

She looked at Janell's cards and saw that she had six remaining. She was pretty sure Janell was holding onto a Draw Four…either because she was letting her win or because she was waiting until the very last minute to play it.

"It's your turn, slow poke," Janell said.

"I know, I know," Paige said, her fingers on a Skip card. But before she had the chance to play it, there was a sudden knock at the door.

Paige jumped a bit. Ever since the day that mean woman had come by and knocked Grandma Tate down, Paige had been terrified of the sound of a knock at the door, or even the doorbell. But she saw Janell smiling as she got to her feet and started for the door. Apparently, Janell already knew who was on the other side.

"Who is it?" Paige asked.

"Well," Janell said before she even answered the door. "Your mom called me earlier. She's not sure I'm cut out for the job anymore, I think." She said this playfully and with a smile, so Paige knew her feelings weren't hurt. "So she called in back-up. And she told me not to tell you."

This confused Paige at first. But as she got to her feet and Janell answered the door, Paige understood. When the door swung open and she saw Agent Carson on the other side—or Mr. Stephen, as he'd asked her to call him when he'd watched over her a year or so ago—a huge smile lit up her face.

"Mr. Stephen!"

She nearly knocked over the discarded Uno cards in her hurry to get over to him. She hugged him tightly and was overcome with the sudden need to cry. She kept it together, though (God, how embarrassing would that have been?) and tried to act calm and mature.

"Hey, Paige! How's my favorite junior agent?" His voice was gruff but warm, wrapping around her like a comforting blanket.

"I'm great!"

"She's whipping me at Uno, that's for sure," Janell said.

"Oh…oh yeah, I believe that. Paige here is brutal when it comes to card games."

She launched into his arms for a second hug, feeling the sturdy reassurance of his embrace. "I missed you!"

"Missed you too, kiddo," Carson said, releasing her and stepping inside. "Now, are you sure you're going to be okay with me keeping an eye on you?"

She was very excited about the idea but also didn't want Janell to feel left out. "Sure! But…I mean, can Janell stay, too?"

"Oh, I'd better not," Janell said. "I told you, I've got all those silly exams to study for. Besides, I don't want to cramp Mr. Stephen's style."

Janell gave a playful salute to Agent Carson as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Keep her out of trouble, will you?" Her voice carried the lightness of her usual conversations with Paige.

"I'll do my best," Carson bantered back. "Thanks for the assist, young lady."

"No problem. Bye, Paige. I'll see you again soon enough."

"Goodbye, Janell!" Paige called out as the door clicked shut behind her babysitter. She turned to Carson, her expression softening. "I'm glad you're here. Where have you been all this time?"

"Working. Staying busy. But I just had to come back to see you!"

Paige's smile softened even more when another thought came to her. "Are you here because we're in danger again?"

"No more than usual," he said with a smile. "But I think your mom wasn't quite as ready to get back into the field as she thought she was. She's just worried about you."

"Even with the guys parked out front?"

"Yeah. But I mean, let's face it. They're clearly not as strong as I am, right?"

"Probably not."

She could see a slight hesitation on his face, something that made him look sad. She supposed he knew about Grandma Tate. She wondered if he wanted to say something about her but was trying to decide if he really should or not.

"Is school going okay?" he asked after a moment, shifting the conversation.

"It's fine," Paige replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can't wait for the holiday break though."

"Looking forward to some rest, huh?"

"Definitely." Paige glanced at the unfinished Uno game, its pieces scattered in disarray from her earlier excitement.

"Do you think Santa is going to come visit?" Carson asked.

Paige frowned and shook her head. "I know the deal about Santa."

"What deal? That's he's awesome?"

"No. That he's not real. Mom told me."

"Oh." He frowned and said, "Well, your mom is certainly going on the naughty list, then."

Paige chuckled and pointed down to the unfinished game of Uno. "Hey, do you want to continue the game? I promise I won't beat you too bad."

Carson nodded and sat down on the floor where Janell had been. "You're talking to a man who's seen every trick in the book, Paige. I'm not so easily defeated."

"Challenge accepted," Paige grinned, her competitive spirit reigniting as they faced each other. She really had missed him…and she wished Grandma Tate was here to see him again, too.

As they played, it occurred to Paige that Agent Carson was just another example of how her mother cared for her even when she was away at work. And though Paige wanted her mother at home all the time, she wanted the version of her mother from before the cancer. She knew it was selfish and a bit mean, but it was true. She missed that mom—not just the shell of her that returned from the hospital worn and fragile, but the vibrant, fearless FBI agent who regaled her with stories of chases and bravery. She wondered if she'd ever see that version of her mother again.

"Thinking hard, or hardly thinking?" Carson nudged gently, pulling Paige back to the present.

"Huh?"

"It's your go, silly."

"Oh. Oh yeah. Sorry."

Paige played a Skip, then a Draw Two. On the next turn, she was out. She'd forgotten to call "uno," but Agent Carson had missed it, so she didn't say anything.

"Sneaky, sneaky, young sleuth," Carson chuckled, and Paige couldn't help but join in.

As they continued their duel, Paige also thought about the wedding coming up in less than two weeks. She was nervous about her part in it (she was her mother's bridesmaid, whatever that meant) but she was also excited. Mr. Jack was going to be her new dad. And though Paige missed her real dad, she knew that he would want her safe and looked after.

She'd be part of a family again. And even at such a young age, she understood that after having lost so much—her father, her great-grandmother, and nearly her mother to cancer—it was about time she and her mother actually gained something.

And with that determined thought in her head, she dropped a Draw Four with a little too much enthusiasm.