Patchwork Family. Judy Christenberry

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СКАЧАТЬ He sighed. “It was a long time ago.”

      Cooper cleared his throat. “Violet had the baby—and passed on—seven months after she left. Ray Benedict, the man she— Her— Anyway, he died recently. I need to know if you want me to find the child, a girl.” Instead of looking at Elias, he let his gaze travel to each of the brothers. “After all, she is your half sister.”

      “I say yes,” Seth said instantly.

      “The baby didn’t die during childbirth?” Brady asked.

      “No.”

      Brady looked at Quinn, and then Seth. “I agree with Seth. I think we should find her.”

      Quinn stared at everyone. They had a sister? A child his mother conceived with another man? Renewed anger filled him at her betrayal. But he couldn’t disagree with his brothers. They needed closure. Maybe this unknown sister would give it to them. He nodded his agreement.

      THE DIFFERENCE IN SARA in just three days was dramatic. By Monday morning, she was racing up and down the stairs in spite of Molly’s efforts to keep her in bed.

      “I’m all better, Mommy,” Sara assured her.

      “Just to be sure, come have a snack,” Molly tempted, putting a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows on the kitchen table, along with a muffin.

      “First, I has to get Button,” Sara said, naming her favorite bear, as she ran out of the kitchen.

      Molly sighed. Getting Sara to sit down was like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Her little girl never seemed to stop. But today Sara would take a nap, Molly decided, her lips tightening, even if she had to sit on the child to keep her in bed.

      After lunch, she convinced Sara to go to her room and let her mother read her a story.

      “But it’s not bedtime.”

      “I know, but Miss Kaitlin has you lie down on your blanket and rest, doesn’t she?” Kaitlin Rodier ran Tyler’s day care center, Kaity’s Kids, a combination preschool and child care facility.

      “Yes,” Sara admitted, her bottom lip pushing out a little further. “I shoulda gone to school today. Jeremy will miss me.”

      “I’m sure he will, sweetie,” Molly agreed, pushing a strand of hair behind Sara’s ear. Jeremy was Sara’s best friend at preschool. “But we have to be sure you’re well. We don’t want to make Jeremy sick, do we?”

      Sara put one little finger at the corner of her mouth, as she always did when she was thinking. Finally she shook her head no. “I don’t want Jeremy to be sick.”

      “Good. You rest and listen to the story. On Wednesday, we’ll go see the doctor and be sure you’re well. Then, if he says it’s all right, you can go back to school.”

      “Okay,” Sara agreed with a sigh, her eyes slowly closing.

      Molly picked up one of Sara’s favorite books and opened the page.

      “Will that nice man carry me again?”

      Molly’s head jerked up. “The doctor?”

      “No, the man who carried me up here. It was kind of like having a daddy, wasn’t it, Mommy? Daddies carry their little kids, don’t they?”

      Molly struggled to hide the pain that assailed her. “Yes, daddies carry their little kids, sweetie. But Mr. Spencer isn’t a daddy. He was just being helpful.”

      She hadn’t even realized Sara had been awake enough to know Quinn Spencer had carried her. She certainly didn’t want her daughter thinking of Quinn Spencer as a father image. While the man couldn’t be much worse than Christopher, he probably wasn’t much better, either.

      Playboys never were.

      Halfway through the book, Sara was sound asleep.

      After dropping a soft kiss on Sara’s forehead, Molly put away the book and tiptoed from the room.

      Just as she reached the hallway leading to the kitchen, the phone rang. With a gasp, she raced through the kitchen door to grab the phone before it could ring again and awaken Sara.

      “Hello?” she answered, her breath shortened.

      “Molly? I mean, Mrs. Blake? Is everything all right?”

      Quinn Spencer. He probably thought she was going to fall apart again. She took a deep breath. “Everything’s fine. I didn’t want the phone to awaken Sara. She just went down for her nap.”

      “How is she doing? Is she better?”

      He actually sounded concerned. She decided it was part of his routine, charm any female within a hundred yards. But she wasn’t susceptible.

      “She’s much better, thank you.”

      “Good. Have you taken her to your doctor?”

      “We have an appointment for Wednesday afternoon.”

      “Ah. That’s wise.”

      “Yes. Thank you for calling to check on her.”

      Before she could hang up the phone, he spoke again. “Wait! I came by Friday morning to tell you I talked to the mayor about your problem. He said he felt sure the zoning change Ursula is protesting will probably pass. All the councilors are in favor of your business.”

      “Oh! Oh, thank you, Mr. Spencer. I appreciate your assistance.”

      “Don’t hang up. I have an idea that might improve your situation.”

      “You do?”

      “You needn’t sound so incredulous, Mrs. Blake,” he muttered.

      “I apologize,” she said hurriedly. “What idea?”

      “I thought you should have an open house, invite your neighbors, the town leaders, anyone else with power, to see the changes you’ve made. I can remember how that house looked when Christopher’s mother lived there. You’ve made a lot of difference. I think your neighbors would be impressed.”

      Molly was stunned. “I hadn’t thought of that. Do you really think it would help?”

      “Yes, I do. And invite Ursula.”

      “What?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Invite that woman into her home?

      “Let her see what you’ve done. It probably won’t change her mind, but you never know.”

      Molly swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “I’ll think about what you’ve said, Mr. Spencer. And thank you for calling me to give me your favorable report.”

      “You’re welcome. And tell Sara I’m glad she’s feeling better.”

      “Yes, thank you.”

      She СКАЧАТЬ