Mistletoe Twins. Lois Richer

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СКАЧАТЬ his excuses with perfect logic, just like now. “You never needed two hands to ride broncs before, Mac. I distinctly remember you telling me it was all in the legs.”

      “I’m still healing from my injuries,” he quipped, hating this defensive feeling.

      “Making ranching and riding impossible?” Frowning, Adele leaned forward to peer into his eyes. “Impossible has never been in your vocabulary, McDowell. What’s the real reason you don’t want to stay on the Double M?”

      She knew him too well. Mac took a moment to admire the glossy sheen of her golden hair, left free for once so it could cascade past her shoulders in a tumble of curls that was neither messy nor unkempt. No matter what she was doing, Adele always looked perfectly put together.

      “I’m not the same person I was when we left high school, Delly,” he warned softly.

      “Who is?” she shot back. “Life’s changed you as much as it’s changed me. But at heart we’re the same people God created.” Her bright amber eyes shone. She looked and sounded so confident in her faith.

      Why wasn’t he?

      “’S’cuse me.” The little girl, Francie, stood in the doorway. But neither she nor her brother behind her looked happy.

      “What is it, sweetie?”

      The little girl launched herself into Adele’s arms. “I don’t wanna stay here, Delly,” she wailed.

      Though slightly chagrined that his special moniker for his bestie had been usurped by these two mini-heartbreakers, Mac’s annoyance quickly metamorphosed into a rush of compassion as the girl wept as though her heart would break. He choked up just witnessing her misery.

      “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Adele swung Francie onto her knee and wrapped her other arm around Franklyn. “You tell me, Franklyn,” she prodded when Francie couldn’t stop sobbing.

      “Those aunties said we hafta have different rooms.” A hint of anger underlay Franklyn’s glowering expression. “Francie don’t want to.”

      Adele lifted her head and shrugged at Mac helplessly. The shimmering glow of mother love in her beautiful eyes made him gulp.

      “Where do you want to sleep, Francie?” she asked.

      “Me an’ Franklyn like sharin’.” Francie sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “When the bad dreams c-come—” And there she went again, bawling her heart out. Mac felt utterly helpless, and he hated it.

      “Sweetheart, did the aunties say you had to have two rooms?” Adele gently smoothed away Francie’s tears, smiling when the child shook her head. “Then you’re crying because you think they’ll make you?”

      “I guess.” Francie sniffed, then frowned when Tillie and Margaret appeared, slightly out of breath. “Won’t they?”

      “Of course not. Why didn’t you tell them what you wanted?” Adele asked gently.

      “We’re not s’posed to make a fuss.” Franklyn’s grave tone made Mac blink. Adele was alert, too. He could tell she was fighting off her annoyance because her back suddenly straightened as it always had when they were in school and someone had irritated her.

      “It’s not a fuss to say if you don’t want to do something, Franklyn,” he intervened to give Adele a moment to regroup. “Otherwise, how will people know what you want?”

      “But the lady at that office where we go said we gotta—Ow!” Franklyn rubbed his arm and glared at Francie. “She pinched me.”

      “She’s going to apologize,” Adele promised with a reproving glance at Francie. “But first I need to say something to both of you and I want you to listen very carefully.”

      Mac had to stifle a chuckle at the uh-oh look filling Francie’s face.

      “This is The Haven. It isn’t like other places you’ve stayed before. It’s different.” Adele had to see their skepticism because Mac sure did.

      He was also very aware of Tillie and Margaret standing in the doorway, worried and probably praying for the two waifs. But Delly was right. The Haven was like no other place on earth.

      “Here you may ask for whatever you need. You won’t ever get in trouble for asking. You may not always get what you ask for, but we can’t help you if you don’t ask.” Adele continued, gently but firmly, “And you don’t have to be afraid here. We love you both and we’re all going to do everything we can to make sure you’re happy. Okay?”

      Franklyn nodded but it seemed Francie wasn’t quite convinced.

      “C’n Franklyn an’ me sleep in the same room an’ c’n it be blue, light not dark, an’ c’n we have lotsa toys ’n’ everything?” she asked in a rush.

      “Hmm, let’s see.” Adele’s face glowed as she glanced at Mac. “Yes, yes, yes and maybe. Okay?”

      “Uh-huh.” Clearly shocked, Francie stared at Franklyn as if to ask if he believed it.

      “Good. An apology?” She waited, one eyebrow arched as the little girl asked her brother’s forgiveness and, receiving it, hugged him. “Now, do you have any other questions, or should we get our things from the car and begin unpacking?” Adele noted Francie’s grin at her brother. “What’s that look about?”

      “C’n me ’n’ Franklyn have some candy?” the little girl asked, eyes sparkling with fun.

      “Not before supper.” Adele rolled her eyes at Mac. “Always a test. Jackets on, children. Let’s get busy. But first—”

      She didn’t have to admonish twice. Francie walked over to the aunties and smiled.

      “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I din’t know. Thanks for lettin’ us stay here.”

      “Child, you’re very welcome.” Tears welled in Tillie’s eyes as she brushed her hand against Francie’s blond pigtails. “Such pretty hair, just like our Adele’s.”

      “Two more children in the house. How lovely.” Margaret clasped her hands together as she thought it through. “We have a pretty blue room with two beds and a wonderful window seat made just for stories. Will that do?”

      The children nodded eagerly. Tillie couldn’t seem to help smoothing Franklyn’s curly hair, to no avail, in Mac’s opinion.

      “See how easy that was?” Adele chided the children. “Come on now. Time to get busy.”

      Jackets on, they hurried out the door, but Mac hung back.

      “Dear boy, I do hope you’ll be dropping by frequently now that both you and Adele are home,” Tillie enthused.

      Immediately enveloped in a cloud of scent Delly had once informed him was the aunts’ favorite lemon verbena, Mac felt like he had come home.

      “Thank you. Have you been skiing, Tillie? I’m envious of your tan.” Other than the tan, the identical twin sisters were almost impossible to tell apart.

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