Stand-In Mum. Marie Ferrarella

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СКАЧАТЬ before the door, Sydney paused and turned toward Marta. “Okay, I want you to brace yourself.”

      “Why?” She wanted to get inside, out of the wind that was beginning to turn raw. And away from the man at her elbow. “Are you planning on taking me on another plane ride?”

      “No.” It was suddenly so important to Sydney that Marta like her children. Marta was like family. With Sydney’s father gone, Marta was all the close family she had left, aside from Shayne and the children. “I just want you to be prepared for Sara and Mac.”

      Puzzled, Marta looked up at her. “I’m a teacher, same as you, Sydney. Meeting kids isn’t exactly something out of the ordinary for me.”

      “No,” Sydney agreed softly, “but these are mine.”

      Marta smiled. She understood. “Point well taken,” she said as Sydney pushed open the oak door. Sara and Mac materialized with greetings, with hugs and with questions, surrounding Sydney as only two vital, energetic children under the age of twelve could.

      Marta had a nice smile, Ike thought as he followed her in the opened door. He was going to have to see what he could do about bringing it out more often.

      Chapter Three

      Marta hadn’t expected to feel an ache. Happiness, yes, to be sure. Happiness for her friend and for the life that Sydney had carved out for herself. Perhaps she’d even thought to feel a vicarious sense of sharing since she and Sydney had once shared everything, good times and bad.

      But not an ache. Definitely not an ache.

      Yet it was there, bittersweet and strangely acute, burrowing into her and hollowing her out before she managed to bank it down and lock it away. There, because what she was witnessing right before her encompassed everything she had always longed for herself, almost from the very first moment she drew breath. A home, a family. And children. They were all here, and all Sydney’s.

      A touch of envy raised its head before it, too, was sent away. This was Sydney’s life, and Marta was ecstatic for her.

      She just wished…

      But there was no point to that. Her judgment as far as who to entrust her heart to was flawed. Best not to go there.

      “What d’you bring me?” Sara’s question had Marta focusing on the child.

      Mac was on Sydney’s other side, tugging at her arm. Tugging for her attention. “Did you get my CD?”

      Sara lifted her head importantly. “She didn’t have time to get your ol’ CD, she was busy picking up the lady.”

      Their voices and questions mingled, encircling the mother they had adopted as fiercely as she had adopted them. Amid the noise was their unabashed, wide-eyed scrutiny of the new person dropped into their midst.

      Marta felt as if she’d been taken apart and put back together again in an instant. And approved, judging from the expressions on the two upturned faces. Visitors, Sydney had warned her, were rare in Hades, especially this time of year. Any new face was to be evaluated and gone over like a shiny, brand-new possession, to be passed from hand to hand and admired, or criticized.

      Abandoning their siege on Sydney, they turned their eyes toward Marta, competing for her attention.

      “Are you gonna stay here forever?” Sara wanted to know. “Mommy said she couldn’t wait until you got here.”

      Elbowing his sister out of the way, Mac presented himself front and center. At ten, he was already exhibiting the promise of becoming a handsome man, Marta thought.

      “Did you know she was our mom now? Did she tell you about us?”

      Giving her brother an impatient look, Sara tugged on Marta’s parka sleeve. “Do you have any kids of your own we can play with?”

      Mac grabbed her arm. “Can I show you my room?”

      Not to be outdone, Sara caught hold of Marta’s other arm and pulled in the opposite direction.

      Stunned, tickled, Marta began to laugh. She was used to children, but as Sydney had promised, this was something special.

      “Hold it, hold it.” Knowing that if she laughed, she’d only undercut what she was about to say, Sydney bit back the sound. Instead, she raised her hand like a safety-patrol crossing guard. “Mac, Sara, let Marta catch her breath.”

      Much to Sara and Mac’s delight, Marta shook her head, siding with them.

      “Oh, no, don’t let me catch my breath. This is great.” Half in love with the overwhelming duo already, Marta flashed a smile at Sydney over their heads. “There’re only two instead of thirty. I can manage, really.” Looking down at the pair, she fired back answers to their questions. “No, I’m not going to stay here forever, but I will be here for a couple of weeks.” From the corner of her eye, she saw Sydney’s look of pleasure. “And I couldn’t wait to get here myself.” She thought of the Cessna’s bumpy ride. “Although I wasn’t so sure about the last leg of the trip.”

      Wispy bangs caught in tiny furrows as Sara scrooched her brow. “Do trips have legs?”

      “That’s just an expression she’s using, darlin’,” Ike interjected.

      Marta noticed that the little girl preened at the endearment. Why shouldn’t she? At seven, Sara didn’t know any better. She hadn’t at twenty-four, Marta thought ruefully. But she did now.

      “And yes,” Marta continued, running a hand over each silky head, “I know that she’s your mom. Every single letter she’s written to me since she got here has been full of things about you.” The information pleased both children, who puffed up their chests importantly. “I don’t have any kids of my own for you to play with, but I’ll play with you myself if you let me.” The declaration was received with unsuppressed excitement. “And I would love to see your rooms.”

      Quicker than her brother, Sara caught Marta’s hand in hers first. “This way.”

      Sara might have been quicker, but Mac was stronger and more determined as he took the visitor’s other hand and pulled her in the opposite direction. “No, she said she wanted to see my room.”

      Sydney hung her parka on the rack, throwing her blue scarf on top of it. She looked at Marta, her point proven.

      “See what I mean by overwhelming?” She got in between the boy and girl. “Kids, let go of Marta, she’s not a pull-toy or a wishbone.” Reluctantly, they each let go of the hand they were holding. “She’s going to be here for a while, so everyone’ll get their turn with her.”

      “Does that include me?” Ike was behind her, gently helping her off with her parka before Marta could think to stop him.

      Soft and low, his voice moved like a seductive, rich scent along the spring breeze. Surrounding her. The smile on his lips hit her with the force of a lightning bolt when she turned around to face him. Unprepared, she felt the definite crackle of electricity passing over her. Into her.

      Gotta watch that, Marta, she warned herself. You know what charmers are like. The man СКАЧАТЬ