“DAD! JOHN! THANK YOU for coming to get us!” Melissa exclaimed, offering them both hugs.
Harry hugged them both, too. He loaded their luggage in the back of the SUV before getting in.
Griff drove out of the Casper airport and headed for Rawhide.
“So how’s Lucy and the baby?” Harry asked.
“She’s fine,” John said. “And Emma is a darling.”
“She’s healthy?”
“Yeah, Harry, she’s great.”
“Has her ex-husband been heard from?” Melissa asked.
There was a silence for several minutes. Then John told them about the recent event.
“I owe you, John, for saving Lucy.”
“I did it for Lucy, Harry. She deserves to live without that man threatening both her and Emma. He died not even knowing about Emma. Lucy didn’t want him to know.”
“Good. Is she traumatized by what has happened?”
“I’m not sure. She didn’t sleep well last night. When she got up this morning she didn’t look good.”
“She doesn’t blame you, does she?” Melissa asked.
“She says not.”
“Dad? What do you think?”
“I think Lucy could use a little time to realize what has happened.”
“But she can’t blame John!” Melissa protested.
“Sis, she’s suffered a lot in the past month or two. She’s not blaming me. She just has to find her own way through all of this.”
“Well, we won’t stand for her blaming you!”
“Missy, we have to be fair to Lucy, as well as John,” Harry said, using his wife’s pet name. “You have to remember the man beat her in her eighth month of pregnancy.”
“I know. That’s why she should be glad that he’s dead!”
John looked over his shoulder at his sister. “Melissa, you need to be gentle with Lucy. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“We’ll see,” she said, determined to support John.
Griff cleared his throat. “Your mom wants Lucy to stay with us, even though you’re back home.”
“Why?” Harry wanted to know.
“She says you two aren’t even aware of anyone else. That Lucy would be really lost if she lived with the two of you.” Griff added, “I think she may be right.”
“Daddy!” Melissa protested.
“Well, you don’t seem to notice anyone else when the two of you are together.”
“I can’t leave my sister at your place, Griff,” Harry said. “That wouldn’t be fair.”
“Have you thought about taking the baby away from Camille? She’s enjoying herself taking care of Emma.”
“She’s not her grandbaby,” Melissa said.
“You tell her that and you’ll discover a mama bear protecting her young,” Griff warned. “She may not be, but we like to think of her as our grandchild. She doesn’t seem to have any other grandparents.”
“But what if we have a child?” Melissa asked.
“You got news for us, little girl? We can have more than one grandchild.”
“I—We’ll wait until we come for dinner and talk then.” Melissa lay her head on her husband’s shoulder.
They all rode in silence for about fifteen minutes. Then Harry asked about the sheriff’s office business for the past six weeks.
John filled him in with what he knew. When he looked back to Harry, he realized his sister was asleep. “Is she okay?” he asked softly.
“Yeah. She’s just a little tired. Traveling can do that. She hasn’t been sleeping well.”
“Mom hired some cleaning ladies to work on your house. It should be in good shape when you get there.”
“Great. Be sure to thank her for us.”
“Yeah, we will,” Griff assured his son-in-law.
Melissa didn’t stir as they pulled up at the house on the back street of Rawhide that her father had bought from Caro and Mike.
Harry shook her awake. “Honey, wake up. We’re home.”
She groaned and fluttered her eyes.
He kissed her. “Wake up, Melissa. We’re home again, finally.”
JOHN AND GRIFF DECIDED not to say anything in front of Lucy.
“Hi, honey, we’re home,” Griff called as he entered the house. When he got to the kitchen, he discovered Lucy there helping Camille prepare Melissa and Harry’s homecoming dinner.
“You met them?” Camille asked, obviously anxious.
“Sure we did. They were doing fine. Except they were both pretty tired. Melissa fell asleep on the way home. Harry was pouring her a glass of milk as we left their house.”
Camille jerked her head up. “Milk? Melissa was drinking milk?”
“That’s right, honey. That’s what she asked for.”
“Is she pregnant?” Camille asked at once.
“She said she and Harry would talk to you when they got here tonight,” Griff said.
“And you didn’t think that meant something?”
“Mom, you can’t assume—” John began.
“Yes, I can. I think she’s pregnant!”
“You’ll have to wait until this evening, sweetheart.”
“What brought up the subject?” Camille demanded.
Griff and John looked at each other and then looked away.
“Griff?” Camille prodded.
“Uh, Lucy, could you excuse us for a minute?”
Lucy stared at Griff. Then she nodded and walked out of the kitchen.
Griff nodded at John. He followed Lucy out of the kitchen. “Are you going to check on Emma?” John asked Lucy as she walked through the den.
“I thought I would. It’s almost four o’clock.”
“Mind if I go with you? I haven’t seen her in three or four hours.”
“You spend more time than that in the saddle every day.”
“Yeah, but I always miss Emma. And you.”
“Me? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. I just miss talking to you and Emma. That’s all.”
“You know I can’t stay here, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t know that.”
“Look, John, I can’t live off your parents now that Harry and Melissa are back. I’ve got to go someplace. I don’t know where, but I can’t let your parents support me.”
“Honey, don’t you realize money isn’t a problem for my parents?”
“That doesn’t matter. I need to pay my own way. I’m going to get a job.”
“But who will take care of Emma?”
Lucy looked away. “I don’t know. I’ll have to find someone who can take care of her while I work.”
“Mom could do that.”
“What?”
“I said Mom could take care of her.”
“But she wouldn’t let me pay her.”
“So? That’s no reason to leave Emma with strangers.”
“I need to be independent,” Lucy said as she entered Emma’s nursery.
“I think you’ll hurt Mom’s feelings with that argument. Is that what you want to do?”
“Of course not! I owe Camille so much. There’s no way I could repay her.”
“You know how much she loves Emma. Letting her take care of your baby would be a gift.”
“John, I can’t make a decision about that when I don’t even know what I will be doing or where I’ll be living.”
“You think you’re moving away? Why?”
“I don’t know!” Lucy exclaimed, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know anything. But I’m guessing that’s why your dad wanted to talk to Camille without me there. And why you came after me to make sure I couldn’t hear anything they said.”
John couldn’t argue with her. “Okay, let’s wait until after tonight. But remember, you won’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“I’ll remember.”
Emma stirred, as if their fierce whispering had disturbed her. She tried to lift her head.
“Sorry for waking you up, Emma,” Lucy cooe
d. “How are you? Are you ready for a new bottle?” Lucy asked.
“Hey, Emma. It’s good to see you waking up,” John added. He reached out to touch her cheek. She turned her head, moving her mouth toward his finger.
“Don’t bite me, Emma!” John teased.
Lucy changed Emma’s diaper. Then lifted Emma against her shoulder.
“May I go to the kitchen to fix her bottle, or should I wait?”
“I think you can go back. I’ll go with you. I can make her bottle while you sit at the table and wait.”
“All right.”
They walked quietly until they could hear his parents still talking about something.
“We’re coming to fix Emma’s bottle,” John called out.
Lucy said nothing.
When they reached the kitchen, Camille wore a welcoming smile. Griff smiled at them, too.
“Thanks for the advance warning,” Camille said. “But it wasn’t necessary.”
“Mom, she already guessed you needed to talk without her hearing. I figured there was no need to take chances.”
“Melissa was out of humor. That’s what Griff wanted to tell me. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but we’ll find out tonight. I’m anxious for you to meet her.”
“Yes, I’m anxious to meet her and to see Harry again.”
“And this little girl is anxious to eat,” John said as he came to the table with a bottle.
“Here you go, Lucy. It’s all ready.”
“Thank you, John. I’ll go in the den and—”
“No, sit here with us. I’ll fix you a glass of iced tea,” John said, interrupting her. “Why not visit for a while?”
“I don’t want to be in the way,” Lucy said, trying to sound nonchalant, though she felt anything but.
Camille looked at her. “You could never be in the way, Lucy.”
Somehow Lucy doubted that.
Chapter Eleven
John hoped his sister wasn’t difficult tonight. He was afraid she was pregnant and wanted to replace Emma in his parents’ hearts. He didn’t want that to happen. They had room for more than one baby. But he feared Lucy would be hurt if that happened.
When six-thirty arrived, he heard his sister and brother-in-law at the back door. They came in before he could get to the door. He greeted them both and led the way into the breakfast area.
Lucy had been in the kitchen, but she wasn’t now. He wondered where she’d gone. “Where’s Lucy?” he asked his dad quietly as Camille was greeting her daughter and Harry.
“She went to comb her hair,” Griff said. “I think it was an excuse to let Camille greet her daughter alone.”
“I’ll go—”
“No. She’ll be back in a minute.”
So John stood there waiting for Lucy’s reappearance. As his father had said, Lucy slipped into the room without much notice. She immediately started putting dishes on the table.
When Camille noticed Lucy’s activity, she called on her to meet her daughter.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Melissa. Hello, Harry.”
Harry came around the table and hugged Lucy. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. But I’m sure Camille and Griff did all that was necessary.”
“Yes, they’ve been wonderful.”
“I had no idea you were so pretty,” Melissa said.
“Nothing to compare to you, Melissa. I can see how you drew Harry’s attention at once.”
“Why, thank you, Lucy. Where is your baby?”
“She’s sleeping right now, but she’ll be up around eight o’clock for a bottle if you don’t mind waiting until then.”
“Oh, no, not at all. I wouldn’t want to disrupt her schedule.”
“I think dinner is ready, everyone,” Camille called, herding her family to the table. “What a nice table we have with Melissa and Harry back.”
“Thanks for getting our place all cleaned and ready. And for the groceries, too. It was nice to have things there,” Melissa said.
“Oh, I just made a phone call, dear.”
“I’m going to hire Macey to clean for me full-time,” Melissa said. “I think I’ll be more productive working on my jewelry.”
Lucy smiled at her sister-in-law. “Oh, I’d forgotten you make jewelry. Did you make what you’re wearing? It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you. Yes, I made these.” She touched her earrings.
John smiled. He hadn’t realized how good Lucy would be, complimentary, relaxed, cordial, as the newlyweds entertained with stories about their European trip. Finally, over dessert, Harry turned the conversation to Lucy.
“So what do you plan on doing now, Lucy?”
Before Lucy could answer, Camille said, “I want her to stay here with us.”
“Oh, Mom, we have news for you,” Melissa said, beaming at her mother.
“What would that be, Melissa?”
“We’re pregnant!”
“That’s wonderful, dear, but that would make it all the more important that Lucy and Emma stay here.”
Melissa stared at her mother. “I’m sure we could make room for them.”
“I’ll be excited to have another grandbaby, dear,” Camille pointed out. “But Lucy is like my daughter, and Emma is the dearest thing. You’ll love her.”
“Of course,” Melissa said.
“I was with Lucy when she gave birth to Emma. We count both of them as part of our family,” John said.
“What do you mean, you were with her?” Harry asked.
“Well, Lucy didn’t know anyone but me and she asked me to stay by her side,” John explained.
“Why?” Harry seemed determined to get all the details.
“Because she was scared. I held her hand during the delivery. And I gave Emma her first bottle.”
“You’re not breast-feeding?” Melissa interjected. “I heard it’s best for the baby.”
Lucy didn’t say anything.
Harry looked at his sister. “Melissa didn’t mean to criticize you, Lucy.”
“It’s all right. I made my choice because I wasn’t sure I would survive to feed her. It seemed more important to make sure someone could take care of her without me being there.”
Melissa stared at Lucy. “You—you thought your husband would kill you?”
“Yes.”
“And he tried,” John pointed out. “Mike said if he got her away a second time, she wouldn’t survive.”
“I didn’t realize—” Melissa began.
“It’s all right, Melissa,” Griff said. “We don’t want to talk about those things. But Emma is a happy baby.”
“But you haven’t said what you want to do,” Harry said. “Do you want to stay here with Camille and Griff?”
“I would never want them to feel unappreciated. They’ve been wonderful to me. But I think I need to stand on my own for my own growth. I married Cecil after only two years of college. I’ve never held down a real job. But I may need a little financial help in the beginning. I can pay back a loan as soon as possible.”
“Lucy, money isn’t a problem,” Harry assured her. “But it won’t be easy. Do you want to stay here in Rawhide?”
“I’d like to, if—if my being here won’t cause problems.”
John almost laughed out loud as everyone’s gaze, except Lucy’s, went to Melissa.
Fortunately, Melissa realized she was the only one who would keep Lucy from staying in Rawhide. “Oh, no, Lucy, I wouldn’t want you to leave. I hope we can get to know each other.”
“I can find another small town and—”
“No, of course not. Why not have more family in Rawhide?” Melissa grinned. “Just don’t be surprised at having so much family.”
“I don’t think I can claim the Randalls, though they are very impressive, but I would like the chance to get to know Harry again, and you, my only sister-in-law.”
“We’d love that, too. And you can help me get through my pregnancy and show me how to care for my baby.”
>
“Thank you, Melissa. That’s very generous of you,” Lucy said, quietly wiping away the tears that flooded her eyes.
John wanted to wrap his arms around Lucy. But he feared she’d reject him if he tried. But he was so proud of her.
“I think you should stay here, Lucy,” Camille said, “at least for a little while. Emma is only six weeks old.”
“I know, but a lot of women go back to work even earlier,” Lucy said.
“Give us at least two more weeks,” Griff suggested. “That will give us all a little time to adjust to your departure.”
“Of course, Griff. That’s very generous of you and I appreciate it. It will take me a little time to find a job and a place to live.”
“I’ll look for what’s available in Rawhide,” Harry said. “Maybe my old apartment over the sheriff’s office.”
John shook his head. “No, that’s rented. Besides, it only has one bedroom. Emma wouldn’t sleep well without her own room. You should see the one Mom made here.”
“The baby has her own room? Is she in my room?” Melissa asked.
“No, I’m afraid I’m in your room, Melissa. But Camille made a special room next door. Would you like to come see it?” Lucy offered.
“Yes, I would. Will we wake up the baby?”
“She’s due up at eight, and it’s almost that time now.”
“I’ll come along, Lucy, if you don’t mind,” Harry said. “I’d like to meet my only niece.”
Camille began clearing the table as those three left the room. John wanted to go with them, but he couldn’t abandon his mother with all the work. Griff got up to help, also, and they quickly cleared the table.
Then John headed for Emma’s room, anxious to see how the meeting had gone.
When he reached the door to Emma’s room, he came face-to-face with Harry, carrying Emma.
“Look, John, isn’t she great?”
“Yeah, she looks like her mama,” John said with a smile.
“She does, doesn’t she? I didn’t meet Cecil but once or twice, but I really didn’t like him much. I’m glad Emma looks like Lucy.”
“Me, too.”
Emma reached out for John. “Ah, come here, baby girl. I’ll carry you.”
“Hey, no fair. You’ve had six weeks with her,” Harry protested, but he gave Emma up to John.
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