Free Banana Muffins & Mayhem by Janel Gradowski

and giggling?
    Carla's timing was impeccable. She walked down the stairs just as Amy emerged from the nursery. "Did you need to change her diaper?" she asked.
    "And her outfit. I hope you don't mind that I put her in a sleeper." Amy shook her head. She'd had no idea that changing a diaper could be that harrowing of an experience. The mess had somehow migrated upward until it was even smeared in Macy's armpits. "I think I used half of the tub of wipes cleaning her up."
    Carla laughed. "Don't worry about the wipes. I buy them in bulk. I'm sorry to traumatize you."
    "You obviously needed a break, so it was the least I could do." She wasn't going to burden her friend by telling her that she had been so frustrated with the diaper bomb fiasco that she had started crying. Or that her hands shook so badly that she could barely fasten the snaps on the clean, thankfully one-piece sleeper she had managed to wriggle Macy into. There was no way she could've managed putting on a onesie, leggings, and socks like the baby had been wearing. The brief babysitting stint had left Amy's nerves more jangled than competing in a live-audience cooking contest. Did other women feel that way about babies, or was she an oddball? Amy took a deep breath and said, "It looks like the shower helped."
    "Definitely. Interrupting my shower is Macy's superpower. It's like she senses whenever I get shampoo in my hair. Within five seconds of me lathering up, she begins fussing probably ninety percent of the time. Do you know how long it's been since I've had a long relaxing shower on a weekday? Usually, I have her in the bathroom with me, sitting in her bouncy seat. It isn't easy to lather and rinse while playing peekaboo with the shower curtain. So, thank you."
    Amy smiled as she imagined Macy dressed in a tiny spandex superhero costume. "She's the Shower Avenger. Saving you from the evil shampoo bubbles."
    "Something like that." Carla took Macy from Amy and settled the baby into her swing. "You have no idea how much I appreciate the shower today. I actually scared myself when I walked past the mirror in the hallway. So…when you called, you said you needed to ask me something."
    She had completely forgotten about why she had stopped by. Diaper blowouts were rather mind-blowing, at least for Amy. She settled onto the end of the couch, happy to be relieved of baby wrangling duty. "Could a head injury from a mixed martial arts fight affect a person's personality?"
    "Head trauma, no matter how it happens, could affect personality. It just depends on what area the damage is in and how severe the injury is."
    Amy nodded. "Could the effects last for a long time after the initial injury?"
    "Sure. There's always a chance of permanent damage." Carla flipped a switch, and the swing began to sway back and forth. "I might be able to help more if you can give me some details of what's happening."
    "I'm wondering about Chuck, the guy who owns The Inkwell. He was behind the counter the other day when you stopped there with me. He's always been so calm and nice, but I saw him get upset today because he was worried about his wife. The change was startling. I know he used to be a fighter, so I was wondering if there could be a connection."
    Carla shrugged. "Nice people can get mad too. Bad days happen. Everybody loses their temper sometimes, especially if they're upset over a loved one. An uncharacteristic outburst doesn't mean there's brain damage. Maybe his coffee maker broke this morning."
    "Good point." Yet Amy couldn't shake the odd vibes Chuck had been giving off at the park. There was a coldness in his tone, despite the heat of anger. He'd been upset because Phoebe started whining to Aubergine immediately after arriving in Kellerton. What if he had become so upset over the diva tirade directed at his wife that he snapped?
     
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    The knife sliced through the wedge of cabbage and thunked on the wooden cutting board. A thick, chunky soup was more winter than