by Regina Scott
“They’re ready to cut the cake!”
Both women turned to where a boy of about twelve stood on the porch at the top of the stairs, a wooden cane bearing the weight of his lean frame. Scowling, he fidgeted with his tie, leaving it slightly off center. His dark coat sat precariously on his shoulders, as if the boy hadn’t decided whether to fling it off or not.
“He looks happy to be here,” Thea commented.
Maggie’s warm laughter coaxed another rare smile from her. “Billy’s not quite sure about this wedding stuff, but give him a plate of Aunt Merrilee’s cooking and he’s happier than a puppy with two tails.”
Thea relaxed a bit. She’d always liked Maggie, liked her plain talk and friendly way of treating everyone the same, no matter their social status. “Please tell your aunt congratulations from me.”
“You can tell her yourself.” Before Thea had a chance to respond, Maggie tucked her hand into Thea’s arm and pulled her out of the shadows.
Thea glanced around, praying no one else would notice her. “I’m not exactly dressed for a wedding.”
“You look fine, and I refuse to let a woman who served our boys overseas get away without a piece of Merrilee’s wedding cake. It’s the first time she’s baked anything since they stopped rationing sugar and eggs.”
The thought of such a sweet delight after four long years was almost too much for Thea to bear. But staying for the reception felt too awkward. She’d approach Ms. Aurora another time, maybe get up the nerve to go to her door and ask about Eileen’s baby. She may not know the woman personally, but she’d heard enough about her kindness and generosity to the children she’d taken in to her home, disabled children who’d been abandoned, to hope that this had all been a simple misunderstanding. One they could resolve easily...after which, she’d be able to bring Eileen’s baby home.
A screen door slapped shut in front of her, and she found herself staring into the dark wool of a man’s suit coat. She lifted her gaze and admired the taut muscles of the man’s broad shoulders, his tanned neck, the thick mop of dark hair that reminded Thea of walnuts ready to be shaken from the tree. He turned slightly, and a soft gasp rose in her throat, just as it had when she’d caught sight of Mack early today. The young boy she’d admired as a teenager had grown into an amazingly handsome man.
Who was more than likely married, Thea reminded herself. A faint sense of disappointment settled over her. Best if she kept her distance. No sense giving folks around here any more reason to talk about the Miller girls if she could help it.
A soft sound, something between a coo and a whimper, drew her attention to a tiny bundle of pale pink ribbons and ivory lace squirming in his arms. A baby? Well, of course, he’d have a child if he were married. Even in high school he’d talked of settling down and having a large family. But wait, she’d seen this child before—recognized the ribbons and lace of her outfit. Yet it hadn’t been Mack holding the little girl when Thea had seen her before. She was certain of that. So who had it been?
There was something distinctly familiar about this child, about the sunny blond curls that hugged her head like a Sunday bonnet. Mack lifted the baby to his shoulder and the little girl staring out at the small crowd, her piercing blue eyes watchful, absorbing everything around her. Recognition caused Thea’s lungs to constrict in her chest, a joy so overwhelming, it threatened to shoot out of her fingertips and her toes.
She recognized the outfit from seeing that precious baby with Aurora Adair. The baby in Mack’s arms was the mirror imagine of her sister, Eileen.
Copyright © 2016 by Patty Smith Hall
ISBN-13: 9781488007682
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Copyright © 2016 by Regina Lundgren
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