The Soldier's Secret Child. Lee Tobin McClain

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      Later, after Gina and Buck had run out to Buck’s shaving-cream-decorated truck, heads down against a hail of birdseed, Lacey gave cleanup instructions to the two high school girls who were helping her with the reception. Then, after making sure that the remaining guests were well fed and happy, she went into the guesthouse. She needed to check on Nonna D’Angelo.

      Having Nonna stay here was working out great. The light nursing care she needed was right up Lacey’s alley, and she enjoyed the older woman’s company. And the extra bit of income Nonna insisted on paying had enabled Lacey to quit her job at the regional hospital. Now that the wedding was over, she could dive into the final stages of readying the guesthouse for its fall opening.

      Nonna D’Angelo had mingled during the early part of the reception, but she’d gone inside to rest more than an hour ago. Now Lacey heard the older woman crying and hastened her step, but then a reassuring male voice rumbled and the crying stopped.

      Vito.

      Of course, he’d come in to see his grandma first thing. He hadn’t been home in over a year, and they’d always been close.

      She’d just take a quick peek to make sure Nonna wasn’t getting overexcited, and then leave them to their reunion.

      Slowly, she strolled down the hall to the room she’d made up for Nonna D, keeping her ears open, giving them time. She surveyed the glossy wood floors with satisfaction. The place was coming along. She’d redo this wallpaper sometime, but the faded roses weren’t half-bad for now. Gave the place its historical character.

      She ran her hand along the long, thin table she’d just bought for the entryway, straightened her favorite, goofy ceramic rooster and a vase of flowers. Mr. Whiskers jumped up onto the table, and Lacey stopped to rub his face and ears, evoking a purr. “Where’s the Missus, huh?” she cooed quietly. “Is she hiding?”

      Hearing another weepy sniffle from Nonna D, Lacey quickened her step and stopped in the doorway of Nonna’s room.

      “My beautiful boy,” Nonna was saying with a catch in her voice. “You were always the good-looking one.”

      Vito sat on the edge of the bed, looking distinctly uncomfortable as Nonna sat up in bed to inspect his cheek and brush his hair back behind his ears.

      She felt a quick defensiveness on Vito’s behalf. Sure, the scars were noticeable. But to Lacey, they added to his rugged appeal.

      Nonna saw her and her weathered face broke into a smile, her eyes sparkling behind large glasses. “There’s my sweet girl. Come in and see my boy Vito.”

      “We talked already, Nonna.” Vito was rubbing the back of his neck. “Lacey, I didn’t realize you were taking care of my grandma to this extent. I’ll take her home tomorrow.”

      “Oh, no!” Lacey said. “I’m so happy to do it!”

      “I can’t go home!” Nonna said at the same time.

      “Why not?” Vito looked from Nonna to Lacey and back again.

      “I need my nursing help,” Nonna explained. “Lacey, here, is a wonderful nurse. She’s practically saved my life!”

      Lacey’s cheeks burned. “I’m really a Certified Nursing Assistant, not a nurse,” she explained. “And I haven’t done anything special, just helped with medications and such.” In truth, she knew she’d helped Nonna D’Angelo with the mental side as well as the physical, calming her anxiety and making sure she ate well, arranging some outings and visits so the woman didn’t sink into the depression so common among people with her health issues.

      “Medications? What’s wrong?”

      “It’s my heart,” Nonna started to explain.

      Vito had the nerve to chuckle. “Oh, now, Nonna. You’ve been talking about your heart for twenty years, and you never needed a nurse before.”

      “Things are different now.” The older woman’s chin quivered.

      He reached out and patted her arm. “You’ll be fine.”

      Lacey drew in a breath. Should she intervene? Families were sometimes in denial about the seriousness of a beloved relative’s health problems, and patients sometimes shielded their families from the truth.

      “If you want to move your grandma, that’s fine,” she said, “but I’d recommend waiting a couple more weeks.”

      “That’s right.” Nonna looked relieved. “Lacey needs the money and I need the help.”

      Vito frowned. “Can we afford this?” He looked down at his grandma and seemed to realize that the woman was getting distressed. “Tell you what, Grandma, Lacey and I will talk about this and figure some things out. I won’t leave without saying goodbye.”

      “All right, dear.” She shot a concerned glance at Lacey.

      She leaned down in the guise of straightening a pillow for Nonna. “I’ll explain everything,” she reassured her.

      She led the way to the front room, out of earshot from Nonna D’Angelo. Then she turned to Vito, frowning. “You don’t think I’m taking advantage of your grandma, do you?”

      “No!” He reached for her, but when she took a step back, he crossed his arms instead. “I would never think that, Lacey. I know you. I just don’t know if you’ve thought this through.”

      She restrained an eye roll. “You always did like to interfere when your help wasn’t needed.”

      “Look, if this is about that talk we had years back...” He waved a dismissive hand. “Let’s just forget that.”

      She knew exactly what he meant. As soon as Vito had found out Gerry had proposed, he’d come storming over to her house and pulled her out onto the front porch to try and talk her out of it. “You were wrong,” she said now.

      “I wasn’t wrong.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he held up a hand. “But I was wrong to interfere.”

      That wasn’t exactly what she’d said, but whatever.

      “But back to my grandma. I don’t know what her insurance is like, but I know it hardly ever covers in-home nursing care. I’m living on limited means and until I get back on my feet—”

      “It’s handled. It’s fine.”

      He ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. “She’s always tended to be a hypochondriac—”

      “A heart attack is nothing to take lightly.”

      “A heart attack?” Vito’s jaw dropped. “Nonna had a heart attack?”

      His surprise was so genuine that her annoyance about what she’d thought was neglect faded away. “About two weeks ago. She didn’t tell you?”

      “No, she didn’t tell me. Do you think I’d have stayed away if I’d known?” His square jaw tightened. “Not a word. How bad was it?”

      Lacey СКАЧАТЬ