Rob wondered if his emotions had been that obvious.

The empathy in Vanessa’s concerned blue eyes almost unnerved him. His arms ached to hold her, and he suspected that, were they alone, nothing would keep him from putting his arms around her. But he couldn’t do that, not here in the presence of the girls.

And not without having at least some idea of how Vanessa really felt about him—and how she’d respond!

He blinked hard to clear his vision and, hopefully, to clear his mind. Her head tilted in that questioning way he’d begun to recognize.

“Headache, Rob?”

He grinned slightly. What would she say or do if I were to admit it was my heart, rather than my head, giving me difficulties?

EILEEN BERGER

has been writing for many years, mostly children’s stories and poetry when her daughter and two sons were small, before having hundreds of other manuscripts published. She had been happy growing up on a farm, then living for a time in two major American cities, but feels blessed to continue living in the same north-central Pennsylvania town, Hughesville, where she and her husband, Bob, raised their now-grown children.

She is active in writing circles as speaker, teacher, board member, panelist, conference director and contest coordinator, but is especially grateful for the West Branch Christian Writers, the wonderful critique/support group without which she says she might never have gotten even the first of her six novels published.

A Special Kind of Family
Eileen Berger

www.millsandboon.co.uk

There is a time for everything, and a season

for every activity under heaven…a time to heal…

—Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 3

To—

Vicki, Jim and Bill,

Our children who, while growing up,

never seemed to notice that a typewriter on the

dining-room table was not a usual part of their

friends’ decor. You have given your father and me

much joy and reasons for thankfulness.

We dearly love you.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

Although it wasn’t quite dark yet, streetlights were already glimmering by the time Vanessa McHenry drove into town. Because she had worked late, there had been only a few minutes to visit at the hospital with her cousin, Keith, his wife, and their new baby; Gram wouldn’t be able to leave to see her newborn great-granddaughter until Vanessa came to relieve her.

She always enjoyed the small-town ambiance of wide sidewalks overhung by yellow-and red-leafed maples, some branching in an archway above macadamized Main Street. But as she passed the cross-street she abruptly stopped humming along with her car radio; the red Sylvan Falls Volunteer Fire Company ambulance looked frighteningly out of place in front of Gram’s big, white, early-Victorian house.

She parked hastily, and was just getting out of her car when AnnaMae came running down the porch steps. “Oh, Vanessa! Gram fell—they think her hip’s broken!”

Oh, no—not Gram! “What happened?” She, too, was running now, horrified at this happening to the woman they all loved.

“She was up on a chair, reaching for a dish on the top shelf of one of the kitchen cabinets.” AnnaMae’s hand slid into Vanessa’s as they hurried up the steps. “I called 911, like she told me to.”

“That’s good—just what I’d have done had I been here.” Gram’s girls, as she usually thought of them, needed a lot of building up.

“We tried to get hold of you at your office and at your apartment—Gram wanted you to come right away, and to bring stuff so you could stay overnight with us—or at least till we find out how bad she is.”

They were inside, through the hallway, and Rob Corland looked up from where he and another man knelt beside Gram on the kitchen’s off-white linoleum. “We’re almost sure the hip’s fractured, Van.”

Her brief smile as she dropped to her knees beside him was meant to convey gratitude for his help and for the information, but she turned away quickly, leaning over her grandmother. “Are you having an awful lot of pain?”

“Not too bad—when I don’t move.” She appeared fairly calm, but there were fine vertical lines between her salt-and-pepper brows and at the outer corners of her eyes.

Rob gave the older woman’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll be as gentle as possible, Gram, but we must get you onto this firm stretcher and to the emergency room. Maybe X rays will show you’re just bruised.”

It wasn’t strange that he’d call her Gram; many people who weren’t related did so. Looking around, Vanessa saw the worry on the faces of the five girls who were hovering as near as possible. Getting to her feet, she drew them away so the men could do whatever was necessary.

Jana Jenson, the wide-eyed seventeen-year-old, blurted, “I said I’d get that dish for her, but…”

Gram’s firm voice interjected with, “There’s no way I’d let you—any of you—climb up on a chair in your condition!”

Vanessa forced herself to refrain from mentioning the folding step stool she’d bought last year, or that Jana, though about six months pregnant, probably wouldn’t have fallen. “I’ll follow the ambulance to the hospital….”

“Oh, no, dear.” Gram wasn’t missing a thing. “You’re needed here.”

She sucked in her breath and nodded slowly, knowing that, according to the rules, some responsible adult must, indeed, be present in a supervisory capacity. All six of them followed the men out onto the large porch, down the steps and to the curb, where they watched Gram being lifted into the ambulance.

Rob turned. “I’ve been praying for her ever since we got the call, Van, and will keep on doing that—for all of you.” His dark-brown eyes were warm with sincerity and concern as they looked down into hers. “I’ll call if I learn anything, but I won’t be able to stay at the hospital very long.”

“Thanks, Rob. I do appreciate you and Pete coming right away, and taking such good care of her,” she replied, including the younger man in her smile. Rob’s authority and calm manner had helped her as much as it did Gram and the others. She added with a twinge of nostalgia, “I remember, when we were dating, your taking all those EMT classes so you could volunteer while not working at the funeral home.”

He was inside the vehicle, making adjustments, busy with things she couldn’t even guess at. He grinned at Gram, although he seemed to be obliquely responding to Vanessa’s words, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t get to sit here beside you and hold your hand as we go for a ride.”

Vanessa couldn’t make out Gram’s reply, but it didn’t sound upset. Moisture came into her eyes as he pulled the rear doors closed and the ambulance started to move. She looked around at the girls with her, seeing tears running down their cheeks as they continued calling goodbyes.

She cleared her throat, not wanting them to suspect she was every bit as concerned as they. “I suppose you’ve eaten, but I haven’t. Let’s go see what’s in the freezer. Gram usually has ice cream, so perhaps we can make sundaes.”

“Or milkshakes,” Kate Frye countered.

“That sounds good, too.” Vanessa was fairly sure the girl was simply trying for some feeling of normalcy. “And there’s probably popcorn, at least Gram used to always keep it on hand.”

They trooped up the steps, through the huge front doorway with its imposing fan-shaped glass at the top and a tall panel at each side, and entered the large hallway leading to the kitchen at the far left corner of the house.

Vanessa already knew the girls, for she’d been involved ever since Gram first spoke of opening her home to young women unable or unwilling to keep their babies, yet not choosing to abort them.

Keith’s wife, Andi, and her father had provided the grant money, but Vanessa did most of the leg-work necessary to bring it into being—and she was still amazed that her brilliant lawyer-mother, who usually seemed so cool and uncaring, had volunteered to handle all legal matters!

Kate had been the first to move in, recommended by the pastor of a church in a nearby city. Almost twenty, she was the oldest; the next, a year younger, was AnnaMae, whose parents wanted nothing more to do with her because of her “grievous sin.” Ricki, also 19, had been told she had to leave home if she didn’t agree to an abortion. Vanessa felt especially bad for Jana and Barbara, both 17 and still in high school.

As they took care of getting the food, Vanessa called Andi’s room in the obstetrics department. “I’m relieved you’re still at the hospital, Keith,” she began as her favorite cousin picked up the phone. “I’m at Gram’s. She fell in the kitchen, and we think her hip’s broken.”

“I’ll be right there!”

She recognized the apprehension in his voice, and shook her head, although he couldn’t see that, of course. “I have to stay with the girls, but the ambulance is on its way there, to the Emergency Room.”

“Who’s on this evening?”

“Rob Corland’s in charge. He handled things really well, I think. And Gram didn’t appear worried once she knew I’d stay overnight.”

“I’m sorry that’s necessary, Van.”

“It’s the least I can do.”

There was a slow exhalation before his next words. “I’ll go down to the ER right away, and stay with her through X rays and whatever they have to do.”

“Keith? You’ll let us know as soon as you find out anything?”

“Of course.”

The girls had waited for Vanessa to finish the call and join them. AnnaMae stopped Jana as she picked up her spoon to begin her vanilla ice cream island in its sea of chocolate syrup. “Shouldn’t we pray for Gram before we eat?”

There were nods and the sound of shuffling feet beneath the table as she added, “And remember, Gram says we’ve got to believe that God can heal, and that He wants us to keep praying, to keep talking to Him about everything.”

She turned toward Vanessa. “How about you praying out loud?”

Vanessa did precious little praying anymore—although she’d been desperately doing some within these past minutes. She figured she probably had little right to ask for anything, anyway, as her prayers had often been prompted by situations she might have avoided. “Why don’t you, AnnaMae, since it’s your idea?”

AnnaMae’s long, dark-brown hair slid forward over her shoulders as she bent her head. “Dear God, please take care of Gram. She’s such a good person and we love her a lot. I guess we should have tried harder to keep her from getting up on that chair, but she didn’t want any of us to get hurt.”

Vanessa heard what sounded like a choked sob on her right, and reached to squeeze Barb’s hand as AnnaMae continued, “We’d sure like You to make her hip not broken, God, but if it is, help it to not hurt too bad, and help it get fixed and heal real fast. Amen.” She did not look around, but picked up her spoon and moved it about in her dish before raising ice cream to her lips.

That was a prayer Vanessa could relate to, short and saying exactly what it was meant to.

She should have phoned Dad before eating, and Uncle Isaac, and Aunt Phyllis, so she finished quickly and made those calls. She found that Dad was away, not expected back until tomorrow, but Mother would try to contact him tonight. Uncle Isaac said he’d leave for the hospital immediately, and her aunt, already at the hospital as second shift nursing supervisor, would go check on Gram. In addition, Aunt Phyl would come to Gram’s the next morning, when Vanessa would need to leave for work.

Vanessa understood the girls’ wanting to stay up until they learned how Gram was making out, so she agreed. They watched two half-hour TV comedies before receiving Keith’s call.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long, but her hip is broken, as we thought. She’s in Room 417, and has had pain medication. Her heart, blood pressure and everything else are good, thank God, and Dr. Rosemont, the orthopedic surgeon, hopes to operate in a day or two.”

“I hope he can!” Vanessa passed on this information to the anxious girls, then asked if he’d be staying much longer.

“No, Gram’s getting drowsy, probably from the medicine, but I’ll stop again in the morning on my way to work, after I check in with Andi and our adorable little Katherine.”

She could almost hear the smile in his voice. This was the way it was supposed to be when you loved someone, wasn’t it? “Sleep well, Keith. And kiss your daughter for me when you see her.”

“Sure will, Van. With pleasure!”

Vanessa rolled over to push in the alarm button ten minutes before it was set to ring, and was ready for the day by the time Jana and Barb got downstairs, dressed for school. They’d said the night before that all they wanted for breakfast was fruit, hot chocolate and cornflakes, so she had that waiting for them on the kitchen table.

The other three were at the table by the time Aunt Phyllis Bastian arrived. “I stopped to see Mom and talked with one of her nurses just before I left this morning. She had a fairly good night, considering everything.”

That didn’t satisfy Jana. “Does she still hurt so awful much?”

“Quite a bit, I’m afraid.” Her smile was somewhat rueful. “But she made me promise before I left that I’d tell everyone she’s doing just fine!”

Barb’s hazel eyes were round with worry. “You mean—she’s not?”

“She’s doing well for someone her age.” Phyl’s arm slid around the girl’s shoulders. “And you know Gram, she’s convinced everything will work out okay.”

Barb looked even more upset. “She is going to be all right, isn’t she?”

“Sure, she is.” Vanessa picked up her small purse and keys. “I must get to work. How about my dropping you and Jana off at school on my way?”

They grabbed their books and ran out ahead of her, as she’d hoped they would, and she was in her office within a few minutes of dropping them at school. Time flew with in-house matters to be taken care of immediately, then fax, e-mail, and phone messages to be answered.

She hardly glanced at a clock until Keith called around one-thirty to tell her Gram’s surgery was scheduled for the following morning. Vanessa wanted to let Rob know—actually, she wanted to hear his reassuring voice—but the funeral home’s answering machine gave the very proper message recorded by his partner stating that the service for some man was taking place at two that afternoon. Her call would be returned if she left a name and number.

She did that, then leaned back in her chair and punched in the number for Gram’s room. The connection went through quickly. “Good afternoon, how are you feeling?”

A soft laugh. “Grateful, mostly.”

“Grateful?” That wasn’t the word she’d have used.

“Mm-hmmm. My fall could have happened anytime, you know, but it took place when the girls were right there, and AnnaMae made the calls, and Rob and Pete came right away, and you stayed overnight—why shouldn’t I be grateful?”

Vanessa felt a crooked smile come to her own face. “Why not indeed?” But she wondered how many others would have reacted that way. “I understand that you’re scheduled for hip surgery tomorrow morning.”

“Right. And look, dear, don’t think you must be with me. Your primary responsibility has got to be there in Sylvan Falls.”

She knew Gram wasn’t referring to her job here at the plant. “Things went well last night. I stayed until Aunt Phyl came this morning, and dropped Jana and Barb off at school on my way here. Everyone’s fine.”

“I’ve been wondering about this afternoon, though. Phyl will need to leave no later than two-thirty to get back here for her shift at the hospital.”

Vanessa drew in a deep breath. “I was hoping to get away early, but there’s no way I can leave until at least four-thirty or five.”

“I’m going to call Gin Redding. Perhaps she can cover for us since she lives just across the side yard.”

Us, not you. Dear Gram, worrying about everything at home when she’s got enough problems there. “That would help, of course, but I hate to make you do the phoning.”

“Now you just get back to what you have to do, dear. I’ll call Gin, and if she can’t come over I’ll ask another friend. I’m sure to find someone.”

There was the click of a closed line, and Vanessa sat there for a moment looking at the phone still in her hand. Leaning forward, she replaced it and got to her feet. She made a practice of getting around to each department every day, convinced that being readily accessible avoided the necessity of spending a lot more time troubleshooting.

She was almost disappointed that Rob had not returned her call by the time she left at 5:28. With her mind on getting to Gram’s as soon as possible, and staying there, she’d verified that one of the foremen would receive any after-hours emergency calls. She considered stopping to pick up pizza on the way but had not had time to call ahead; she’d better hurry to relieve Gram’s good-hearted neighbor.

As she parked by the curb and hurried inside, Vanessa was still trying to decide what to have for dinner—and gave a sigh of relief when Gin told her that church members would be sending the evening meal each day until further notice. She knew Gram often did this for others, but had not considered a possible reversal of that kindness.

The doorbell rang, and Ricki hurried to respond. “Hi, Mr. Corland. So you’re the first to bring us a meal!”

“I guess I am.” He chuckled. “Want to take a couple of these?”

Going into the hallway, Vanessa was surprised to see his arms filled with a number of take-out boxes from her favorite steak house. “I hope everyone’s hungry,” he was saying even before she could greet him. “I brought both steak and barbecued chicken from Jerry’s Barbeque.”

Does he remember the two of us going there? It seems so long ago!

Barb and Jana also insisted on carrying containers to the kitchen, so he was empty-handed as she said, “Just set everything on the table till we get organized.”

They exclaimed over the abundance of not only the meat, vegetables and salads, but even cherry and apple pies. Vanessa asked, “Have you eaten, Rob?”

“Well, the church served a luncheon following the interment, and the family asked us to join them….”

“You and Gin will stay and eat with us,” Vanessa stated briskly. “There’s so much food.”

With the girls working together, it was only minutes until the table was set, coffee and hot water ready, the food on serving platters and everyone seated. At first the conversation primarily concerned Gram’s scheduled surgery, and the length of time anticipated for recovery and rehabilitation before she could return home.

Kate’s grandmother had died the year before, so she asked all kinds of questions about Rob’s work as a mortician. Vanessa tried several times to turn the conversation to something more pleasant, but the girl kept coming back to that subject.

Jana and Barb talked about Sylvan Falls, comparing the school and community here with their own—but said little about families and friends they’d left to come here.

Rob’s pager beeped as they were eating dessert, and Vanessa was sorry to hear him say, “Yes, I’ll be there as quickly as possible.”

Vanessa walked out to the porch with Rob and thanked him again for bringing dinner. “My pleasure, Van.” His hand reached for hers and gave it a firm squeeze. “It’s been a long time since we ate a meal together.”

She nodded—and felt almost bereft when he released her hand.

“I must hurry home and change into something less casual than jeans and sweatshirt. I’m expected to look professional when I go to the hospital for someone. You remember Nate Bowman, don’t you?”

“Of course. He was an especially good friend of Grandad’s, one of his buddies.” Being reminded of her grandfather still gave her that clutching pain in her stomach. Another fireman dead! He was one of those who tried to rescue Grandad, and now he’s gone, too. I hope Gram doesn’t know, for that would make her feel even worse.

The girls were already putting away leftovers and loading the dishwasher when Vanessa walked back into the house after bidding Rob goodnight. In spite of the conversation and activities with the girls, she felt more alone with him gone.

But she wouldn’t dwell on her own feelings; Gram had asked her to check the homework of the younger girls and make sure the older ones studied for their General Equivalency Diploma exams.

None of the three who were old enough to graduate from high school had done so. Ricki would have last June, near the head of her class, had she not run off with her “one true love,” who was in the army and stationed in the Midwest. He had not married her, as he’d said he was going to—and now denied paternity.

Kate dropped out of school after her junior year, going to work at a fast-food place, “…to make money, have a car, and stuff like that.” AnnaMae admitted to having been in a state of rebellion; education was so overwhelmingly important to her parents that no matter what grades she got or what she achieved, nothing was “good enough.” She’d eventually stopped studying or doing assignments and deliberately got poor marks.

Vanessa related especially to that; she had not stopped studying—and even graduated second in her class, but she’d rebelled in other ways. Looking back, she was ashamed of deliberately hanging around people her age and older who were known for drinking, wild driving and other questionable activities, including marijuana use.

It was a phase that had not lasted long, thank goodness; she had not fit in there, but remained on the sidelines, something of a nonjudging bystander, not actively participating in much of what was going on, but being associated with them in people’s minds. But I did get Mother’s attention, and succeeded in upsetting her as much as she upset me….

Gram had stressed how essential it was for the girls to study hard and get their GEDs, so Vanessa struggled to remember algebraic fundamentals forgotten since high school—and began to realize what her grandmother was involved with every day!

While checking homework for the younger two, she reminded them all that Gram’s rules, which they’d agreed to when coming here, were still in effect, including being in bed early on week nights. They hurried into pajamas and came back downstairs in time to watch TV for thirty minutes.

As it turned out, she did permit them some leeway, since they were upset to learn that Gram’s fracture was so severe, and she would be undergoing surgery the next day.

The older three usually had an extra hour before they were required to be in their rooms. She’d expected to go upstairs soon after them, and when the phone rang, she dreaded to pick it up. Hearing Rob’s voice she sank back into the recliner with relief—or something more?

“I hope this isn’t too late to be calling, Van?”

She laughed. “Not too late since it’s you.” But then, realizing how that might sound, she sat up straighter, explaining, “I was afraid it was the hospital—that something might be wrong there. Or perhaps it would be a problem at work.”

“Nope. Just me.” His voice was reassuring. “I wondered if you might have any more news, so I called to check before turning in for the night.”

They spoke of various other things, too, especially Nate Bowman’s wife and two daughters, who were holding up quite well, perhaps partly because he’d been in the nursing home so long before his death.

She was pleased when Rob admitted, “Actually, my main reason for calling was to thank you again for inviting me to stay for dinner. I enjoyed being with you.”

Is he just being polite? “We appreciated your company as much as the food you brought.” She had deliberately used we instead of I.

“It brought back a lot of memories….”

Yes, it did!

Chapter Two

Vanessa expected the morning’s routine to be similar to the day before, but shortly after she got downstairs, Mrs. Redding came across the yard, offering to stay until Aunt Phyl arrived. “…In case you want to go around to visit your grandmother on the way to work,” she told Vanessa.

She blinked back unexpected tears at Gin’s generosity. “I’d been wishing I could see her before her surgery. And may I ask another favor? I know Gram’s accident was already on the prayer chain, but could you start it again, saying that surgery is scheduled for ten o’clock and asking for prayers?”

“Rob put it on already.” Her hand was pressing firmly against Vanessa’s waist. “So you get going.”

It was a perfect autumn day, every direction she looked revealing countless shades of red, yellow, orange, even wine, elegantly set off by evergreens. This was her favorite season, and she recalled Gram saying last Sunday at a family get-together, “Each year I think God can’t make it any more beautiful, but He outdid Himself this October!”

The hills and mountains made Vanessa glad to be living here in north-central Pennsylvania. Gram kept thanking God for all this, but if He was really as all-powerful and all-knowing as she thought, wouldn’t He already know how much people enjoyed it?

Once she arrived at the hospital, it didn’t take Vanessa long to find Gram’s room. She sat on the edge of Gram’s hospital bed, holding her hand. “It’s okay, Gram, to admit you’re a little nervous about surgery.”

The older woman grinned at her. “All right, I am having some nervousness, and I’m aware that I’ll hurt a lot when I come to. However, I’ve lived with constant pain since my fall, and that won’t go away by itself. Once the surgery and the hurting are over—and the therapy—I expect to eventually get around fine.”

Vanessa leaned over and kissed Gram’s cheek, and didn’t realize until Gram’s arms came around her and the soft voice said, “Thank you, dear,” that this was the first in a long time that she’d been the one to initiate such a loving embrace with her grandmother.

Why am I like this? Am I afraid to show love because Mother used to push me away when I wanted to hug or kiss her, saying she hated getting all rumpled? Almost with reluctance, she straightened. “Rob’s put you on the prayer chain again.”

“Tell him I appreciate his doing that. Why should I worry with all those prayers uplifting me?”

Vanessa admired Gram’s being so bright-eyed and cheerful. “Do you have messages for the girls, or the family?” That sounds as though I’m offering to dispense her final words—as though I don’t think she’ll survive!

But before she’d figured how to make that sound better, Gram was saying, “Tell each of the girls how much I love her, just as she is now. And say that I also love her for what she will be, with God’s help and guidance. I respect her for sticking by the decision to have her baby, and I’m looking forward to helping her through that—and afterward.”

“Good morning, Gram!” Keith came strolling in, wearing a dark-blue business suit and tie. “And a good morning to you, also, Van.”

“Are Andi and Katherine going home today?” Gram asked.

His eyes sparkled. “Leave it to you to think first of happy prospects, Gram! Yes, they’ll be leaving later this morning, but right now they’re doing something extra special.” He stepped back a pace, his arm encircling his beautiful wife, who came in carrying a small, pink-wrapped bundle in her arms.

Andi looked indescribably happy. “Katherine and I got a special dispensation to leave our floor and come wish you the very best through surgery and recovery.”

Gram had been tilted upward slightly and now, without thinking, attempted to sit upright and reach for the sleeping infant. She gasped, face contorted with agony. Sinking back against her pillow, she wiped moisture from her upper lip and forehead. “Thanks, Andi,” she managed to say in an obvious struggle to keep her voice fairly normal. “How thoughtful and generous of you!”

“It’s pure selfishness on my part.” Andi was going along with Gram’s facade of being all right. “We couldn’t be in the same hospital and not come to be with you for at least a little while.” She leaned over to kiss her and to settle her daughter in the arms of her great-grandmother.

It was just a short time before a nurse came with yet another presurgery form, and Keith and Andi left with the baby. Vanessa had planned to stay until Gram was actually on her way to surgery, but Gram wouldn’t hear of it. “As you see, I’m being very well taken care of. I appreciate your coming, dear, but you run along to your office, and get all those important things taken care of.”

She didn’t want to leave, but there were calls which should already have been made and a mix-up in Research and Development she hoped wouldn’t be too difficult to straighten out. And she never knew what else could be awaiting her when she arrived.

While diligently working in her office at the plant, Vanessa received a call from her dad a little after two-thirty, letting her know that he was back from his business trip to Europe, and saying the surgery was over and Gram was in the recovery room, doing as well as could be expected.

She hated that expression; it meant so little! Was Gram as good as one would expect of someone her age, or good compared with everyone? And whose expectations did that refer to, anyway? Gram herself expected to be up and about quickly.

A shiver passed through her, there at the big desk in her pristinely organized office. Her own hopes had not been as high as they probably should be; Vanessa would never have Gram’s kind of faith. She had, of course, participated in AnnaMae’s prayer, and she’d been hoping a lot, but she didn’t really know….

It was several more hours before Keith’s call. “Hi, cousin!” he greeted her. “Good news—Gram was brought back to her room maybe an hour ago. She’s having a lot of pain, but they say things went well.”

“Great! About things going well, that is, not the pain. Are you still at the hospital?”

“I came home a few minutes ago. I’d brought Andi and Katherine here while Gram was in surgery, then had to go to the office for an hour or two, to take care of a rush matter. But I was there when they brought her back.”

There were unfamiliar sounds in the background. “Am I hearing your little one?”

He chuckled. “Up until we started talking, Katherine was quiet as could be.”

“I understand that happens when there’s a child in the family, but didn’t know they started this young.”

“See? We knew she’d be precocious!”

Vanessa was only half joking when she suggested, “How could she help but be with you as her father?”

“Much more so with her one-in-a-million mother!”

There was a softness in the way he said that, and Vanessa thought that might be the whisper of a kiss she heard, and then an even softer sigh. She was almost jealous of such a love as theirs, which she was half-afraid to hope for…to one day experience….

Vanessa pulled in behind the big black sedan parked in front of Gram’s house, wondering who was supplying dinner this time. She’d never been good at identifying vehicles and, besides, didn’t know what cars her grandmother’s friends drove. She seldom attended church except when she couldn’t get out of a special invitation by Gram to an occasional Easter or Christmas service.

She heard laughter as she entered the hallway, and Rob’s unmistakable deep voice. Gin Redding’s higher-pitched one then said, “She’d have called if she was going to be real late, so you’d better wait to dish up till she gets here.”

Vanessa was by now at the end of the hall, in the kitchen doorway. “It sounds as though I arrived just in time!”

They were all talking at once, then let Rob explain, “Mrs. Seaforth must have spent all day cooking and baking. She said she would prepare food if someone could deliver it, and I was the lucky one.”

“Aggie Seaforth sent all this?” The table was covered with homemade cinnamon rolls and two pies in addition to numerous bowls and containers. To the girls she added, “I thought she was old when I was a child.” Then she turned to ask Gin, “What is she now? In her mideighties?”

The neighbor was near the back door, apparently ready to leave. “Upper-eighties, at least—but I’ll bet she’s had one great day of it! She had seven kids, you know, then all those grandchildren. It probably seemed like old times for her to cook for the six of you. Or more…”

“Stay and eat with us, Gin.” Vanessa had walked over and was lifting lids. “There’s so much here, and you know what an excellent cook our dear Agatha is.”

“I don’t want to butt in….”

“You can’t butt in when you’re invited, and the more the merrier, as Gram would say. You certainly deserve it, after coming over twice today.

“And you stay, too, Rob. After all, you brought all this.”

Both protested only mildly before sitting down at the table. Gin gave thanks to God for the meal, and there was lively conversation as they ate. Everyone was relieved at the report of successful surgery, and optimistic about Gram’s recovery.

Only once did anyone mention Rob’s profession this time. He glanced toward Jana before replying, “I should get used to people wondering what kind of person chooses to become a mortician instead of a doctor or lawyer or automobile salesman or short-order cook. Y’know what happened when I first told Vanessa I’d decided to do this?”

She felt heat rising in her face and knew they must see her heightened coloring as he announced, “She laughed at me, that’s what!”

He had never referred to that before, and she’d hoped he had forgotten. “That was incredibly rude of me,” she admitted, looking at everyone except him, “but it was such a surprise. He’d talked for years of becoming a family practitioner or a physician’s assistant, or perhaps a physical therapist. And for a while he even considered becoming a minister.

“Any of those would have meant intense involvement with living people, and then there he was, speaking of working with…” she stammered, unsure how to finish the thought without mentioning corpses or bodies “…with people after they’ve died.” She forced herself to look at him and was relieved to see him smiling.

“It’s okay, Van.” His right hand seemed to be reaching toward her, but came to rest on the table’s edge. “I shouldn’t have teased about it.”

Vanessa didn’t know if Gin was deliberately maneuvering the conversation away from that topic when she told of two late-afternoon calls from people asking about Gram, but Vanessa was glad for the change of subject!

Rob soon explained that he had to leave, and she walked out with him and down the steps. “Thanks again for bringing Miz Aggie’s wonderful meal.”

His little nod was probably in place of saying You’re welcome, but his words were, “Do you always call her that?”

She chuckled. “She was my Sunday School teacher when I was maybe five or six. Gram and other ladies her age called her by her first name, so I did, too, until Gram corrected me. But Mrs. Seaforth said I could call her Miz Aggie—well, that’s what I understood, though she probably said, Mrs. Anyway, she’s been that to me and many others ever since.”

He stopped on the sidewalk. “She speaks very highly of you, Van, and is impressed with your moving right in here—taking care of the girls and everything.”

“Gram’s very concerned for them, and so am I. What’s remarkable is that other people are doing so much.”

He looked back toward the house. “I told Mrs. Redding that I could stay this afternoon until you got here, but she insisted she wanted to.”

Her shoe scuffed against the leaf-strewn flagstones. “In order to get this facility up and running, a number of conditions had to be met, one being that at no time can there be unsupervised visiting by a male.”

“I hadn’t thought of myself as a ‘visiting male.’” His mouth twisted into a smile. “But I can see that my motives could be suspect.”

“Several times men or boys have called, wanting to visit or to go out with one of the girls, so it is a necessary rule.” She grinned up at this man a good six inches taller than her height of five-eight. “There was no way of foreseeing that a nice, good-looking young mortician just might want to be helpful.” Is he wincing a little? It seems as though there’s a flicker of—what?

“I was already a man, Vanessa, even before becoming a funeral director—I was an individual before a professional.” His words seemed more subdued than usual, and there was something like pain in his eyes. “I still am.”

She glanced down at her shoe again, scraping back and forth in telltale discomfort. Transferring her weight to the offending foot, she looked back up into his deep-brown eyes, so near she could see herself in them. “I know.”

Rob hoped she really did think of him as a man; his regard for her had nothing to do with her efficiency as manager and executive secretary of the plant started several years before by Andi and her electronics-genius father. He wanted to continue the conversation with some casual remark, but before he could do so she returned to the previous subject. “Miz Aggie must have been relieved at your willingness to bring the meal she fixed.”

“It was my privilege. And I thank you for the invitation to stay for dinner.”

“It was the least we could do. For both you and Gin.”

Was she aware of his feelings and deliberately trying to remind him that it was not just he who’d been asked to stay? She started back toward the porch, but he noticed that she didn’t go up the steps until he waved as he pulled away. She appeared to be moving more slowly than usual—could it be his wishing that made it seem so?

What did he really know of the Vanessa McHenry of today? She was so beautiful he could still hardly keep from staring at her, like he used to in senior high. That perfect, light-complexioned, heart-shaped face above the classic column of her neck; the long blond hair with just enough wave to emphasize its softness and catch the sunlight or moon-glow—or fashioned into French braids, as she sometimes wore it….

He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he turned into the alley, pushed the remote, and watched his garage door rise slowly. He drove in, got out of the car and started through the doorway into his house, almost forgetting to lower the door of the garage.

History does, indeed, repeat itself; you were so sure you could manage it this time—being a friend, just a helpful friend. But you never did get over her.

And you still have no idea what went wrong before, or how to keep it from happening again….

He went through the small utility room; everything was in order there and in the good-size kitchen. He’d promised himself that he would keep things neat when he bought this three-bedroom, ten-year-old brick ranch house.

He knew all too well from college days how easy it was to let things go. His room had always been in disarray and he was constantly searching for things. Well, he’d succeeded by sheer will-power in keeping that resolution; how could he now keep from falling even more deeply in love with this remarkable woman?

The sensible thing would be to keep a distance from her physically, but even considering that was painful.

Walking through the broad archway into the dining end of the large room stretching in front of the kitchen and one bedroom, Rob turned left into his office and pushed the answering machine’s flashing button. The first message was from Elmer Harnish, his partner, asking him to call a son of the man whose viewing was scheduled for the next morning at ten, prior to the memorial service. The second was his mother, and the third had been left by Betty Jefferson.

There was no question as to which callback to make first, as he always enjoyed Mom’s upbeat conversations. Several winters ago she’d been asked by Great-Aunt Beatrice Maroney to spend January and February with her in Fort Myers, on Florida’s Gulf side. They got along so well that they repeated this every year, each time her stay getting longer.

Physically better there, Aunt Bea decided to remain year-round. She was doing well, considering her ninety-two years, but diminishing eyesight meant she could no longer drive, and she wasn’t surefooted enough to walk far by herself.

“We appreciate your letting us know about Gram’s accident, and that she was going through surgery,” Sylvia Corland told him. “We’ve been praying for her, of course, but do need an update.”

He filled her in as much as possible, which led to her asking how Vanessa was making out with the five she, too, referred to as Gram’s girls.

“It’s been tough, Mom, so you might want to keep praying for Van. In addition to an extremely responsible load at work, she comes back at night and has to care for everything at her grandmother’s.”

“I’d think the girls would be able to go ahead with some things.”

“I don’t know for sure just what they’re capable of. Women from the church began what I know you sometimes did—they’re sending in the major meal of the day.”

“Well, good! That at least takes off some of the pressure.”

“But she’s trying to do too much—helping the three oldest with preparations for GEDs, making sure the younger ones keep up with their homework, seeing that each one does her part with laundry, cleaning and other tasks….”

“Does she seem overwhelmed?”

“No, she doesn’t, and I admire her for that.”

There was the briefest of pauses. “Just go easy, dear.”

He shouldn’t be surprised, but hadn’t expected her to sense his—love? Infatuation? “I took food for the first day, takeouts from the steak house.” He chose not to mention staying to eat that night or the next one! “Aggie Seaforth prepared today’s.”

They spoke of a number of things, but near the end she came back to their initial topic. “When you see Gram or Vanessa again, tell them they’re in our prayers. All of them are….”

The call to the deceased man’s son took only a few minutes as Rob reassured him that someone would be directing traffic at each of the two major intersections on Broad Street, so cars in the slow funeral procession would not get separated.

Also, there’d probably be no difficulty adding another person who wished to share memories at the service, but this should be discussed with their pastor right away. And it was, of course, too late to have his name on the printed memorial folder.

He was smiling as he made the third call. Betty was four or five years younger than Vanessa and himself, twenty-five or twenty-six. He remembered her in Youth Fellowship during the last year or two before he left for college, a bubbly, outgoing, bright-eyed redhead involved with every program and service project.

She married Paul Jefferson soon after high school graduation, and they now had a four-year-old son, a two-year-old daughter and an infant. “Thanks for calling back,” she greeted, “though you may be sorry you did.”

He laughed. “I promise to at least give you the chance to tell about it before I hang up.”

“I thought you might—hoped so, anyway. I was talking with Miz Aggie, and she said you delivered her dinner to Gram’s. Right?”

He’d already guessed what she wanted and quickly offered to deliver the dinner she would prepare the following day.

He slowly set down the phone. His shoulders were straight and head high as he sat down in the tall-backed oak chair and glanced at the many cubicles in his antique rolltop desk. As good as he felt right now, he should be able to zip through the paperwork which had accumulated over the past two days. If only he could keep from thinking about Vanessa for just a little while….

Chapter Three

This night was not going nearly as well for Vanessa as she’d hoped. Oh, it started out fine, more than fine while Rob was there, but when she came in after seeing him off she found that neither Jana nor Barb had started her homework.

They sat glaring across the kitchen table, in a seething silence she tried to break by speaking directly to one, then the other. Receiving only monosyllabic answers to questions about their assignments, Vanessa leaned back in her chair. “Okay, who wants to tell me what’s going on?”

Silence. Averted glances.

“Barb, please explain whatever I should know.”

Jana pouted. “Just ’cause she’s a few lousy months older, she always gets chosen first!”

“You were given the opportunity and could have answered. Now I’m asking Barb.”

Barb was the quietest of the five, somewhat timid and nervous, the thumb of her right hand presently worrying a hangnail on her left forefinger. “Jana thinks she’s the only person in the whole world!”

Vanessa shook her head, frowning, to stop Jana from interrupting. “Like with your friend,” Barb continued. “Jana thinks Rob’s falling for her, if you can believe anything that dumb!”

“He talked to me more than to you or anyone else! You know he did.”

“’Cause you kept barging into every single conversation he tried to have! With Vanessa or Mrs. Redding or anyone.”

“I was just being friendly!” Her dark-blue eyes were stormy. “Not like you, sitting there like some stupid old lump.”

Jana’s records had shown that she believed every man or boy who paid attention to her considered her irresistible. Although sexually active for at least two years, she was unwilling to take responsibility for being almost six months’ pregnant.

“That’s better than making an idiot of yourself and preening like a peacock. Or strutting your stuff.”

“Oh, Miss Priss!”

“That is enough, Jana!” Vanessa turned back to Barb. “Is there anything you want to add?”

She drew in a quick breath and opened her mouth, then closed it again as she sat there in thin-lipped dudgeon. It was several seconds before she blurted, “She’s always running me down!”

Vanessa knew Barb needed building up, but she couldn’t do that now. “I know how hard it is for both of you, being seventeen. I had a rough time of it, too, when I was your age. But Gram’s doing everything she can to help all of you through this, not only because of your age but because you’re pregnant, which also can make women edgy.

“It’s been a tall order right from the beginning, but she’s done her best, and at this point we don’t even know if she can continue it when she gets out, so…”

Barb was leaning forward, staring. “You mean—we might get sent back home?”

That last word came out as a high-pitched squeal, and the girl’s hazel eyes were so huge Vanessa could see white all around the pupils.

“How would you feel if that happens?”

“I’m not going back there.” Her head moved forcefully from side to side. “No one can make me do that.”

“Then it behooves you and Jana to shape up.”

“I mean it. I won’t go back.” Barb never looked well, as skinny as she was and often, like now, her head and shoulders were bent forward as though carrying a tremendous burden. “I’ll run away first—or kill myself.”

She’s seldom this forceful, this dramatic, Vanessa thought. “Was it that bad?”

“Worse!” Barb’s hands were wringing one another there on the table. “Mom picks such awful guys!”

Vanessa couldn’t remember the reports going deeply into the lifestyle of her mother, but as she was trying to decide how to ask the question, Jana burst out with it, “Is he the guy who got you pregnant?”

A shudder ran through Barb. “I don’t even want to talk about him. He’s evil!”

What would Gram do? Vanessa wondered. Would she keep the girl talking, hoping that, once out in the open, it could be dealt with?

Jana was already asking, “Did your mom know about it?”

“She didn’t do anything. She’s as bad as he is!”

“Worse, if you ask me! My mom didn’t give a hoot about me, but I can hardly believe yours would let her boyfriend do whatever he wanted! Both of them should rot in jail.”

It’s amazing—Jana’s utterly appalled by the wickedness done to this girl she herself harasses! But what Vanessa said was, “At least you’re safe here, Barb.”

“I’m—not sure. Mom had to sign for me to come, since I’m just seventeen, so she knows where I am.” She fidgeted as she cleared her throat. “Two days ago a red car went past here that looked like his. But I ducked down, so I can’t say absolutely, positively it was him driving, but the car had a replacement fender on the right front, just like his. And it was going real slow.”

Vanessa tried to keep from showing her horror at this development. “Have you told anyone?”

Barb’s long, straight blond hair whipped from side to side with her vigorous head shake. “I thought I’d tell Gram yesterday, but am sure glad I didn’t!”

“Glad?” Jana challenged, eyes still large.

“If she’d fallen right after I told her, I’d never have forgiven myself!” Her hair swung forward, partially concealing the tear-smudged, downward-tilted face.

Vanessa went to her, reassuring, “We understand your being frightened, dear, but I’m glad you told us. We can help you.”

“Nobody can—not forever.” It was a wail of hopelessness. “He could grab me on my way to school. Or come here…”

“I don’t think he’d try that—not with all of us here with you.”

Jana chimed in with her own encouragement, “Sure, we’ll tell the others and—”

“Don’t tell anyone. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t plan to.”

“We had to know, Barb. From now on I’ll drive you to school each morning, and you two can make a point of coming home together.” Aware of Jana’s apprehension, she asked, “You often walk back with other girls, don’t you?”

“Just sometimes.” Barb looked toward Jana. “And I don’t want you or anyone else hurt.”

Vanessa needed to ask, “You honestly think there could be danger to others?”

“I don’t know. But I’ve been so scared….”

Vanessa worked hard at helping with homework, but they had difficulty concentrating. It was after the girls had gone upstairs, and after she’d spent another hour working with the older girls’ studies that she checked a second time to make sure all first-floor doors and windows were locked. She considered pulling the opaque shades at the kitchen windows, but couldn’t recall Gram’s doing that except when midsummer’s late-afternoon sunshine streamed in.

She did, however, deliberately leave on both back and front porch lights, and was going back to the kitchen when Rob phoned to tell her of his mother’s prayers. He added, “Honestly, Van, I don’t know how you’re doing everything!”

“The question isn’t so much how I’m doing, as how well.” She’d tried to say that lightly, but surprised herself with, “I wish Gram were here!”

There was a split second’s pause. “What’s wrong, Vanessa? Is it something I can help with?”

His voice sounded worried, and she wanted nothing more than to share this with him. “I shouldn’t….”

“Van?”

“It’s, not something I can talk about on the phone.” Actually, I shouldn’t talk about it at all.

He must have sensed her turmoil. “I’ll be there within three minutes.”

She felt guilty involving him in this, and told herself she should be calling her lawyer-mother for advice. Instead, she went out on the front porch and sat on the swing for what proved to be no more than the short time he’d predicted.

She’d told herself she had no right to trouble him, but as he parked along the curb, hurried up the walk and steps and then across the porch to sit beside her, she knew she needed his input and suggestions, and felt heartened by his presence.

He held her hand as she filled him in on Barb’s situation, and how worried she was. He asked questions, most of which she couldn’t answer, and talked about what-ifs and maybes—and it did help immeasurably just having him there.

They eventually went together into the house, Vanessa having decided to call her mother for advice. Rob used the phone in the front room; Vanessa sat near him using the portable phone, what Gram referred to as her “walk-around.”

“Gram’s not worse, is she?” Mother’s concern was evident.

“She seems to be doing fine, but we have another problem….”

Paula McHenry said almost nothing as her daughter told what she’d just learned, but then she stated, “I’m calling the authorities tonight.”

“Is there any other way? Barb’s going to be terribly upset if this becomes public knowledge.”

“We have no choice.” There seemed to be sadness, at least resignation, in that voice. “Barb’s a minor, and what’s been perpetrated is a major crime which, by law, you and I must report.”

“I doubt she’ll be willing to repeat any of this.”

“There are people specially trained to work with these situations. I think she’ll open up once she finds this to be the only way she can ever feel safe.” She cleared her throat. “The girls adore Gram…she’ll be able to get Barb’s cooperation.”

Rob, too, asked Paula questions and discussed the situation with her and, later, with Vanessa, leaving only when she insisted she must get to bed if she was to be even functional the next day.

Vanessa had trouble sleeping, however, and awoke early. She must talk to Gram about Barb, and the sooner the better. She would have to find time today to run over to the hospital.

And then she stopped short, sitting there on the side of her bed, asking herself why she’d involved Rob with something that had nothing to do with him. It was my own weakness, my own need. It’s not his problem, and yet I dragged him into what could become very messy.

That bothered her even after their neighbor came and Vanessa was driving the two girls to school. They were nearly there when she told them what her mother had said.

“He’ll kill me!” Barb had become almost hysterical. “He said he would—over and over he said he’d kill me if I told anyone! And he’d kill Mom, too. I trusted you, Vanessa, and you’ve already told someone else!”

They were still a block from school, so Vanessa pulled to the curb, stopped, and turned to look her in the eye. “My mother is our legal advisor, the one who took care of all those forms and regulations that made it possible for Gram to open her home to you. I had to touch base with her, Barb, for your sake and for everyone else’s.

“Gram, herself, would have to report this if she knew. Since I’m trying to take care of things while she’s in the hospital, it was necessary to find out what must be done in order to stay within the law.”

When Jana also started yelling about not keeping confidences, Vanessa stated firmly, “Listen, you two! We could be closed down if we don’t obey the law. Then where would you be?

“Each one of you is more important to us than just keeping Gram’s home open, but you saw a certain car, Barb, which could mean someone’s looking for you, has perhaps found you. Should that be the case, the law is the only protection you have against what he could do.”

“I can run away….”

“Where could you go where you’d be absolutely certain he can’t find you?”

She almost mentioned that she and others could be hit with huge fines and lose the opportunity to continue doing for others what had been so recently begun, but that would seem of little importance to either girl right now. Instead, she tried to impress upon them the necessity of acting as normal as possible and staying together during lunch and after school.

She pulled up at the entrance nearest the cafeteria and pointed to the front corner of the parking area. “If at all possible, I’ll be over there by the time school’s out,” she said. “If I’m not, wait inside these doors for another five minutes. If I still haven’t come, walk back to Gram’s—with others, if possible—and along the main streets.”

They solemnly assured her they would do so, but as they left the car Vanessa added one more thing. “If you must walk home, go directly there.” I’m not sure that’s strong enough. “If you aren’t home in a reasonable amount of time, we’ll have to notify the authorities about two missing persons—which could become particularly sticky since we haven’t told them what’s going on.”

Cars behind hers kept her from staying until the girls were inside, but she did check her rearview mirror as she slowly moved forward….

She tried to tell herself that this day was no worse than usual, but didn’t believe it. Trouble with one packaging line right at the beginning of the shift kept that crew out of operation several hours.

A man in Shipping fell and hurt his back. The nurse didn’t think his injuries serious, but recommended that for his own and the company’s sake he should be taken to the hospital for X rays and evaluation.

It was then she learned that one huge carton of a large order of new-games-for-Christmas CDROMs had not arrived at a major wholesaler’s, and their purchasing agent was threatening to cancel the entire order if this portion wasn’t received by the following day. She finally got him to agree to giving them two days, but finding what went wrong and getting that taken care of took far too much of her time and attention.

She was out of her office more than usual, leaving Suzan Gibson, her secretary, to handle problems with her usual calm efficiency. Except for a granola bar and coffee, Vanessa had eaten nothing since a small breakfast, but was at her desk finishing a report that had to get out today when Suz came in. “You need an apple break, boss-lady.”

Leaning back in her chair, Vanessa reached for the shiny Red Delicious apple that Suz offered to her. “Ummm, it looks wonderful.” Shifting position and stretching, she glanced at the dainty ormolu clock Gram gave her when she first assumed the position. “Oh, no! It’s nearly four!”

“What’s that about time flying when you’re having fun?”

She ignored that remark as she struck her forehead lightly with the palm of her hand. “I intended to pick up the kids at school.”

Suz was shaking her head as she started for the outer office. “In case you hadn’t noticed, Vanessa, they’re in high school now. How ’bout giving that mother-hen complex a rest? Haven’t they walked home most days?”

She tried to smile, to come up with anything but her real reason for fretting, but blurted out, “It’s impossible for me to take Gram’s place in their lives!”

“Be yourself, Van.” Suz turned back to face her. “They don’t need cookie cutter adults around them, they need authentic, honest-to-goodness real people who care.”

“I’ll try to keep reminding myself of that.” Will they believe I care? she wondered. If only I’d paid attention to the time and got to the school when I said I would—but then I’d have had to come back later.

She reached for the phone as Suz closed the door after herself. Gin answered, saying that Jana and Barb were at the kitchen table doing homework. “Tell them I got held up here, but hope to be home by five-thirty.”

“Okay—and I understand it’s that dear Betty Jefferson preparing today’s meal. Maybe you’ll be here when she comes.”

“I’ll try to be.” It occurred to her that thus far the food had been provided by people she would least have expected. I consider myself a good judge of character, but these folks from First Church are amazing….

Little Teddy Jefferson came running across the yard as Rob’s car stopped in the driveway. “I been waitin’ and waitin’ for you to come.”

Rob got out and stooped to pick up the child, toss him in the air, then catch and set him on his shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for that, too, my young friend. Let’s go inside and see what your mama and sister and baby brother are doing.”

“Yeah!” He bounced a little more than was warranted by Rob’s long strides. “Mama’s been bakin’ and cookin’ all day long, and I’ve been a’ helpin’.”

Rob grinned, surmising that cooking help from a four-year-old would not make work easier.

Betty held the door open for them while, with her free arm, she scooped up the two-year-old trying to get outside. “This isn’t too much of an inconvenience, is it?”

“I’m not the best cook in the world, Betty, but I do drive. This way we pool our strengths.”

She smiled up at him, probably not realizing he’d provided the first meal. “I love cooking, and it’s little more time-or energy-consuming to make double of everything. So,” she continued with a sweeping gesture toward countertops covered with food, “our dinner and theirs came out at the same time.”

“Wow! Even pineapple upside-down cake for dessert!”

“It’s Paul’s favorite, and I don’t make it as often as I should. He’ll enjoy some when he gets home tonight.”

It took two trips for Rob to get everything to his car, and he was just starting up the front walk at Gram’s with his first armload when Vanessa pulled up. “You’re getting enough practice as a delivery-man to hang out your shingle,” she greeted, walking toward him as he waited. “If you need a reference, I’m available.”

It’s not as a reference I wish you were available! But he had no right to think such a thing—was almost shocked that he had. “Miz Aggie beat you to it, for she’s the one who told Betty. It’s a lot easier for me to bring this than for her, with her three little ones, especially since the baby has an ear infection.”

She nodded, then glanced back toward the car. “Is there more?”

“Mm-hmmm, but I’ll come back for it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. All I have to carry is this,” she said, raising her calfskin attaché case a few inches.

“Okay, you asked for it.” He handed her the box he’d been carrying. “I’ll bring the hot things.”

He’d expected her to go on, but was inordinately pleased when she waited for him to pick up the even larger, towel-covered box and push the car door shut with his hip. He came back toward her, going slowly enough to enjoy watching as she gracefully walked up the steps in front of him.

Kate met them at the door, offering to take part of the load, but Vanessa shook her head. “Things are well balanced weight-wise, and might shift if anything’s removed.”

“Rob?”

“No, thanks. This is more bulky than heavy.”

Jana and Ricki came running down the wide, carpeted stairs, so everyone was soon in the kitchen. Vanessa placed a hand on Mrs. Redding’s shoulder as she picked up her sweater. “Stay and eat with us, Gin.”

“That’s not necessary, dear. Really.” She took another step toward the back door. “I’m glad to help out…you don’t need to feed me.”

“Of course you’ll stay. We enjoyed having you and Rob with us before, and want very much for you to do it again.”

Gin looked at him with uncertainty, so for her sake as much as his—at least he told himself that—he grinned at her, then Vanessa. “You’ve talked us into it.”

This could become addictive, he told himself later, as the conversations swirled around him. Then he pulled himself up short, both physically, by sitting straighter in his chair, and psychologically. He’d been talking a lot, but now paid more attention to everyone else at the table.

Gin said Gram called late in the afternoon to report that the therapists not only had her out of bed, but took her by wheelchair to Rehab, where they had her try to walk with the parallel bars.

AnnaMae looked appalled. “How did she make out?”

“She said it was awful!” Gin made a face. “She tried real hard, but only managed a few steps. She hopes it will go better tomorrow.”

They talked about that, then about various things Phyl Bastian had discussed with the older three that day. Jana, who’d chattered most of the time the previous evening, said very little, and Barb was noticeably silent, toying with her food but eating little, and not looking anyone in the eye.

Vanessa must have noticed, too, for several times Rob saw her throwing worried, or at least concerned glances in that direction. She asked no questions, but when the phone rang as they were eating dessert, he thought that Barb’s expression betrayed panic as Vanessa left the table.

She relaxed with Vanessa’s first words, “Hi, Keith, how’s that wonderful baby and her mom?” She was smiling at his answer and said she was pleased Katherine slept six hours during the night. Then, her back to those at the table, her voice became lower, words indistinct.

Everyone was too quiet, so he asked Gin about someone at church, and tried to draw the girls into conversation. Vanessa, coming back to her seat, said Keith had gone in to see Gram for a short visit, and from there the talk drifted naturally in other directions.

Gin finally said she must go, which seemed his cue to leave also.

Barb had not said a word.

Vanessa checked homework while the rest of them cleared away things from dinner. She didn’t feel like working on GED material, so was relieved to learn that Aunt Phyl had done some of it with them in the late morning. She agreed with Ricki’s suggestion that if they got through the next three pages, then into pajamas and robes in time, they could join the younger two for a TV special. After all, it was Friday—and apparently Gram permitted them to sleep in Saturday mornings.

While the girls watched TV, Vanessa phoned her parents’ house to speak to her mother about Barb. Her father usually wasn’t the one to answer when she called, but this time he seemed cheerful and talkative, so she spent four or five minutes with him before asking to talk with her mother. Paula stated that preliminary notifications had been made to the authorities, and she was hoping for some sort of response soon.

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