Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

Henry tilted his head and asked, “Why not, Grandpa?”

Hansen started to explain, but after looking at his grandson's stubborn little face, he just shook his head. “You wouldn't understand. Just don't call her that, okay?"

Lately, Mia had been obsessed with honeydew melon, so Andre picked up a few on his way home for lunch. But before Mia could even get a taste, their son had already claimed one for himself, chomping away happily.

"Dad, is Mia not home?" Andre asked.

Hansen was just as puzzled. “Our Mia's been out a lot lately. Do you think she and her friends are up to something they're not telling us about?"

Immediately, Andre called his sister. “Molly, where are you?”

“I'm at work, grinding away. What's up, Andre?"

Andre hung up, feeling only slightly better. Still, where could Mia be? She wasn't with their son, and she hadn't been out with friends, either. The Silent Ring season was over, so she couldn't be off at the gym practicing boxing. She hadn't mentioned any plans, and recently, she hadn't been acting out of the ordinary. So where was she disappearing to?

“She's not, like, seeing someone else, right?” Mars blurted out.

comment earned Mars a bruised tailbone and a few

enough that Milka came over to look after the poor guy. "If you can't say

again, so I said maybe she found someone new, and he punched me. Some

peeling an orange and handing him a section. "Who jokes like that? Andre may have punched you, but if Mia had been here, you'd be six feet under by

the orange, trying to play it cool. "Hey, maybe I'm lucky.

made him vegetable porridge and tried to help him sit up. "Can

really had this

with him, insisting he eat while

luck" didn't end there. Since no one else was around to look after him, Milka dropped him off at the

soon as they walked in, Mr. and Mrs. Arrowood swarmed Milka with questions and fussed over her

needed a place to recover, the couple shared a secret look. "I'm busy," one said. "And so am I," chimed in the other his own

Milka hesitated. "But... Mars...”

him fend for himself,"

Milka gave in and brought Mars back to

company,” she said, pointing at Mars and her dad, who was also