“I’ll think about it,” he mumbled and replaced the earphones.
Tess withdrew, closing the door softly behind her. Whether he helped or not, the job had to be done. She went back to the kitchen for some big garbage bags for the clothing. No doubt there were agencies in Boulder that could make use of most of it. Then she marched along the hall to the bedroom. I can do this. After all, it wasn’t as if she really knew Gabriela and Richard. He’d been her father and her whole world until she was eight years old. Twenty-five years later, she told herself, he was little more than a vague memory attached to some sentimental letters. Thus steeled, she walked into her father’s bedroom.
She stood in the center of the room, examining it close-up for the first time. It was as comfortably elegant as the rest of the house, though with a bit more clutter. She moved slowly around it, taking in the assortment of obviously treasured items. A scatter of etched silver boxes that looked Native American in design. A carving of some bird Tess couldn’t identify. A small glass jar covered in gaily decorated tissue paper with Love Molly printed in dark block letters.
Then she picked up a pewter-framed photograph of the four of them. Judging from Nick’s size, it was a recent one. They looked like they were returning from a holiday. Tanned, happy faces. A small collection of luggage around their feet. Tess focused most of her study on her father. He looked vaguely similar to the image in her memory, though the more she looked at the photograph, the more bits and pieces of him emerged from the past. Thick wavy hair, still worn long, but streaked with gray, and a few more lines etched his face. A bit more flesh on his tall frame. But otherwise, the familiar grin and sloped shoulders magically erased the twenty-five-year gap. She set the picture back onto the bureau, unable to look at it any longer.
When she raised her eyes, she saw that Nick had slipped into the room. He stood silently in the background for almost ten minutes before wandering over to the bureau that Tess was standing in front of.
“My mom had some nice jewelry that Molly might like to have someday. It’s in that carved wooden box there.”
Tess picked it up and handed it to him. “Let’s keep the whole thing, okay? How about if you put it in Molly’s room?”
“She’s too young to be responsible for it now.”
“Yes, but we’ll have Mr. Walker put it in a safety deposit box or something for her. Okay?”
He nodded and took the box from her, setting it gently on the bed.
“You’ll want the things in the studio, too, won’t you?”
He shrugged. “I’m no good at art.”
“But maybe someday—”
“Sure,” he said.
“This is very difficult for you, I know,” she said.
He didn’t say a word, just scanned the room with a vacant look on his face.
“Why don’t you put that jewelry box in Molly’s room while I pack up some clothes. Unless you want to help with that?”
He shook his head fiercely, alarm in his eyes. Then he picked up the box and, without a word, left the room.
Tess watched him, understanding his reluctance to touch the personal garments he’d all too recently seen his parents wearing. Then she set to work, opening closets and pulling out drawers. The couple had obviously not been interested in ostentatious displays of wealth, she noted. Some of their outfits were expensive, even formal, but most were casual. Reflecting a semirural, western lifestyle. Lots of jeans, jackets and tailored shirts and blouses. She had bagged all of the contents of both closets and was in the process of pulling out folders of papers from the bottom drawer of Richard’s bureau when Nick returned.
“Want to have a look through these?” she asked, raising her head.
He nodded and shuffled toward her, took the folders and perched on the bed. After a few seconds, he said, “These are pencil sketches Dad made last fall.” He fell silent.
Tess sat down beside him. “They’re lovely. I remember him drawing a rough outline in pencil first, before starting the real thing in oil. Where were they done?” she asked, riffling through the small pile.
“There’s a place out past Lyons—that’s a small town a few miles from here—where he’d go to sketch. Sometimes we all went with him and camped for a weekend. He liked it because he could see the valley where Boulder is and also the Rockies behind him.”
“If these sketches are anything to go by, it does look beautiful.” Nick was staring at the drawings so wistfully that Tess impulsively asked, “Would you like to go there sometime? Show me around?”
He thought it over, gave a nonchalant shrug and said, “Sure. Why not?”
Tess decided that was as much enthusiasm as she was going to get. She suggested a break for lunch and they left the room together. When Tess closed the door behind her, she felt oddly light. As if she’d finally gotten rid of a terrible burden. Nick excused himself and popped into the bathroom while she made for the kitchen. He joined her as she was setting out the fixings for sandwiches. As he began to assemble one, Tess said, “Yesterday Mr. Walker gave me some letters he said you’d found. From my father.”
Nick glanced up from his task.
“I’m curious, where did you find them?”
A pale pink rose up into his face. He considered her question for a moment and then said, “Remember how I told you I came to the house a couple of weeks after the accident and found Dad’s new credit card?”
Tess nodded.
“I was just starting to think of a plan to run away with Molly and I knew I’d need money. I didn’t have more than a couple hundred dollars in my own account and that wasn’t enough.”
Imagining the two of them wandering the streets of some big city was painful. Tess forced herself not to react but couldn’t quell the scary thought that they might try to do that again.
“So,” he went on, “I searched through their drawers and Mom’s jewelry box but I didn’t find any money. There was a box tucked away at the back of Dad’s closet, behind some other stuff. When I saw it, I thought he must have hidden it for a reason and that there must be cash in it. Sort of an emergency supply, you know. If he couldn’t get to the bank or something.”
Tess stifled a smile at Nick’s take on the adult world.
“When I opened it and saw the letters, I almost put it back right away. But—” the color in his face deepened “—I was curious. I opened one of them and it didn’t take long to figure out Dad was writing to…to, well, a daughter.”
“You must have been shocked,” Tess said softly.
“I was. Dad never talked much about his past. He was older than Mom and I guess I always thought he’d just been a bachelor all that time before they met and got married.”
“So you decided to turn them over to Mr. Walker.”
“Kinda.” Nick peered down at his plate and half-eaten sandwich. “Actually, while I was there, Alec came looking for me ’cause I’d skipped school and he guessed I might be at the house. This was right after we found out that the Sullivans didn’t want to keep both of us any longer and that I’d probably have to go to another foster place. Or even a group home.” His head ducked lower.
Tess waited, knowing he’d go on when he was able.
“I didn’t want Alec to know why I’d really come out to the house—to look for money—so I decided to tell him about the letters I’d found. I made up some excuse about looking for a copy of Dad’s will ’cause I knew he’d accept that.” He paused. “He did. I—I didn’t feel good about lying to Alec,” he said, raising his face to Tess. “He’s always been straight with Molly and me. He’s not like other grown-ups who pretend they’re helping you when really they’re only looking out for themselves.”
It was Tess’s turn to flush, though she wasn’t certain he was referring to her.
“Anyway, when I showed them to him he said they were very important. That they meant there might be next of kin. ’Course, he didn’t promise things would change for Molly and me, but I kinda worked it out.” His eyes
met Tess’s. “If we did have an older sister, there’d be someone to look after us and we wouldn’t have to be split up.” At that, Nick pushed his chair back and left the room.
Tess stared at his half-eaten lunch and, after a long moment, rose from her chair and left the room, too.
HE’D JUST RETURNED from lunch when the phone rang. The call took him by surprise. At first, Alec thought maybe Tess was calling to explain the situation yesterday. But he realized almost immediately that she wasn’t the type to backtrack or come up with phony excuses about her actions. If she’d screwed up, she’d probably get to an apology right away. That is, he thought wryly, if she ever considered she might be wrong.
He was doubly surprised when she said she’d like to take Nick out to the mountains to some campsite the family had used to visit.
“Nick found some sketches of the place and I thought he might like to take a drive out there. What do you think?”
Alec was speechless. Not merely because she was asking his opinion about something, but that she’d figured out the place was important to Nick. “I think it’s a great idea. Why not go for the whole weekend? Make it a camping trip.”
“Camping?”
She made the word sound foreign, if not downright alien. “Yeah. You know—tents, sleeping bags, that sort of thing.”
“I know what the equipment involves,” she said. Somewhat snippily, he thought. “Camping also means no beds, no showers and usually a lot of bugs. Not to mention larger animals. Aren’t there snakes and other predators out here in the southwest?”
“All kinds of them. Unfortunately, most of them are the two-legged variety.” No response. He tried again. “The thing is, the outing might give you a chance to make a breakthrough with Nick. He needs some time alone with you, Tess. Away from Molly and the house.”
“I’ll have to think about it. Besides, there’s Molly. Someone would have to look after her.”
“Let me work on that,” he said, his mind racing. He didn’t want to discourage her from acting on what he considered a brilliant idea. Good for Nick, sure. Even better for Tess to share an experience with Nick beyond looking after his needs at home.
More silence, followed by a drawn out “Well” that told him she was considering the option. “Maybe we could take Molly, too. Could you come out here later and show me how to set up the tent, when we find it?”
The request was totally unexpected. He knew—and he bet she knew, too—that Nick could show her just as well. Then he had a thought. The idea gained a lot more credibility the more he considered it. Though he knew if his boss found out, she’d be on him like a ton of bricks.
“I’ll go you one better,” he said. “Would you object to my coming, too? As a sort of guide and—” he searched for a casual line “—protector from predators, two-legged and otherwise?”
“You want to come with us?”
Incredulity there, he noted, but not disapproval. “Sure. Unless you think Nick might mind.”
“Oh, he won’t mind. In fact, I haven’t even talked to him yet about staying overnight. I simply suggested a drive and that obviously pleased him so I thought—”
“Your instincts were right on. This is exactly what he needs. Look, I’ll see if my sister can take care of Molly. We could take her, too, but I think Nick needs grown-up time on his own. I can finish up here by four. I’ll pick up some supplies in Boulder and be out at the ranch by five or five-thirty. If we leave right away, we can get to my sister’s place outside Lyons in time for dinner. We could spend the night there and head for the campsite early in the morning.”
There was a long enough pause for him to think she was going to change her mind. Then she said, “Isn’t that a lot of trouble for your sister? Not just taking care of Molly but staying overnight, too?”
“It would be better than trying to find this place at dusk.”
“Or we could just leave early tomorrow morning.”
“True, but a while ago I promised Molly a visit to my ranch. I think she’ll love the adventure.”
“This is getting really complicated,” she said.
She sounded like she was seriously having second thoughts. “My sister loves to have company,” he quickly said. “Trust me on this. I’ll call her right away and check it out. If she gives the slightest hint of not liking the idea, I’ll call you back and we’ll organize something else.”
“Okay,” she said doubtfully.
“Hey! Where’s your sense of spontaneity? It’ll be fun!”
“Right,” was all she said.
Alec had a hunch her lack of enthusiasm stemmed from the knowledge that he might be running the show, rather than her. He quickly said goodbye before she did change her mind, and hung up. Relinquishing some control in her life might be just what Tess Wheaton needed.
It was shortly after five when Alec pulled into the drive. Molly ran from the garage to meet him.
“Nick and Tess are in there getting the camping stuff.” She gazed up at him. “I wish I could go,” she said plaintively.
“Another time, Molly. Promise. Besides, my sister is hoping you’ll help her with the horses.”
Her face lit up. He’d made the right decision. “C’mon, let’s go see if we can help.” He took the small hand she extended and walked with her to the back of the house.
The big garage door was open and Alec could just make out Tess bending over something inside. She looked up sharply at the sound of their approach and swiped back the tendril of damp hair that had fallen over her eyes. As he got closer, Alec saw the relief in her face.
“Thank heavens,” she said. “Nick and I’ve been having a hard time getting this stuff down from there.” She pointed behind her to a high shelf that ran the length of the garage. There were a couple of oversize plastic containers on the shelf and one lying opened at Tess’s feet.
“Is there a ladder?”
“Of course there is,” she snapped. “We got that far, believe me.” She jerked her head to a ladder propped against the wall farther on.
It was Alec’s turn to color. He ought to have noticed, instead of jumping to conclusions about her ability to handle things. He caught Nick’s expression confirming just that. “Why don’t you take Molly inside and finish packing? Nick and I’ll get the rest of this together.”
“Glad to,” Tess declared and walked out with Molly in tow.
Alec watched her march straight-backed to the house. When he turned around to the mess on the garage floor, he saw Nick staring at him with some bemusement.
“Blew that one,” the boy remarked. Alec could only shrug. How very right he was.
BY THE TIME the Bronco turned off Highway 36 onto the side road that would take them to the Malone family ranch, Tess had calmed down enough to actually enjoy the ride. She was sitting up front with Alec, and Nick and Molly were in the back. Tess stared out her window, taking in the rapidly changing landscape. The flat, sandy scrubland around the Wheaton ranch gradually gave way to meadows of wild grass and flowers. Alec had explained that the Malone ranch was off the highway just beyond Lyons, a small town of less than fifteen hundred people.
“In the peak of summer, the population more than triples. Especially in July, when there’s a bluegrass festival. Lots of Denver people have summer homes up here. The town’s called the Double Gateway to the Rockies, over there.” He’d pointed to the northwest as the Bronco turned off the highway.
Tess had looked, but the sky was too hazy to see the Rockies themselves. Coming from Chicago, she thought the foothills were pretty impressive on their own.
“There’s the start of the Malone property,” Alec said, gesturing to a split-rail fence on his right.
“How come your sister lives here?” asked Molly. “Isn’t it your place, too?”
Alec craned his head to the rear and smiled. “Yep, it is. When my folks passed away, my sister and I inherited it. My job makes it easier for me to live in Boulder, but Karen and her husband work the place.”
/> Molly thought for a long moment before asking, “Are you and Karen orphans, too?”
Tess didn’t dare look at Alec, afraid what she might see in his face. He finally broke the silence by murmuring, “Yes, sweetie. I guess we are.”
Molly was satisfied and resumed looking out the window. Ten minutes later, the Bronco swung onto a gravel drive that cut across grassy fields and ended at an old two-story stone farmhouse with a gingerbread-trimmed veranda that ran along its width. A white picket fence that needed a fresh coat of paint bordered a small section of lawn, separating it from the planted fields beyond.
“It’s like the olden days!” Molly squealed.
As soon as the SUV braked to a stop, the front door opened and a woman stepped out onto the veranda to greet them.
The family resemblance was striking, Tess thought, as Alec introduced her to his sister. Same sandy-red hair, though Karen’s had more red in it, and she also had a faint smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was tall like her brother, too, but only an inch or so more than Tess. Her warm manner in welcoming all of them was gratifying, setting them at ease right away.
She gave them a quick tour of the historic homestead that was clearly well loved. “Ken—that’s my hubby—and I’ve been living here for seven years now, since my dad died. Alec probably told you we share the place. We’re still waiting for Alec to find the right person and move out here, too. But I don’t think that’s going to be anytime soon.” She rolled her eyes. “What a guy! No one can please him. Not since Sherry.”
“Sherry?”
“His high school sweetheart. They were engaged and going to be married. But when Alec came back from his stint with NATO, he was really different. Made a whole lifestyle change. One that didn’t include Sherry. Not that I minded, personally, because I found her a bit…hmm…demanding. A real princess. The marriage would have been a disaster.”
Tess was torn between an interest in learning more and the realization that she’d probably heard far more than she ought to have. Still, curiosity won out.
The Second Family Page 14
