“Wonderful,” came Jack’s voice from the kitchen entry. “I dislike raw milk immensely.”

He was dressed in khaki shorts and a short-sleeved blue polo. I noticed his freckles for the first time-just a sprinkle over his nose, not the hundreds I’d had when I was his age.

Robin checked her watch. “You have your wish. There will be no raw milk today. The school bus will be here soon, so if you will excuse us, I’ll walk Jack down the driveway.”

I stood. “You talk to Candace about your cow. Jack and I can find that bus.”

Robin’s eyes widened, and she half rose. “But-”

“Mom. Please do not embarrass me. I like Miss Jillian. She is Miss Candace’s friend, so you can trust her. She and I can handle a walk down the driveway.”

“But sometimes the bus drives up so close, and-”

Jack had walked over to me and now took my hand. “Let’s go. And, Miss Candace, give Mom a chill pill if you have one handy.”

Before we even made it out the door, Jack’s questions began. “What do you do for a living?”

I turned to give him a smile and said, “I make quilts for cats. And I do charity work making quilts for soldiers’ children-kids whose dads or moms have gone to war,” I said.

“I’ve read a little about the conflicts in the Middle East. The United States needed a better understanding of theocracies before they went to war, wouldn’t you agree?” He kicked a stone at the beginning of the drive as we made our way toward the road.

“Um… yes. I think you’re right. What’s your favorite subject, Jack?”

“All of them.” He was continuing to chase the rock, and I smiled. At least something about this little guy was childlike.

“Why are you with Miss Candace if you make quilts?” he said. “I thought you were a new police officer in training, though you appear older than her. Starting police work at your age is unusual, I would imagine.”

Thanks, I thought. I explained about the premature kittens and our night at the shelter, and by then we’d reached the end of the drive. And right on time, too, because the bus rumbled to a stop next to us a minute later. Jack waved and said we had more to “discuss” about “the infant cats” before the bus doors closed and he was gone.