“What kind of news?”
I shrugged.
“There was a dispute over some deployment compensation and retention pay. Finance finally approved it.”
Mom stared at me.
“How much?”
I pretended to hesitate.
“A little over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
The change was immediate.
Mom’s face lit up.
Kendra actually laughed.
“Oh my God, Caleb!”
Within five minutes, they had forgotten Naomi existed.
Mom talked about replacing the kitchen counters.
Kendra said we needed an in-ground swimming pool.
Then she mentioned trading the red pickup for a luxury SUV.
I listened.
And smiled.
Because suddenly I knew exactly how I was going to find out what they had done.
