by Jane Toombs
After the performance, punch and cookies were served in the theater anteroom for the audience and violinists. As they stood in a group, Sarah joined them, Betty and her mother tagging behind. Cary singled out David.
“I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done,” she said. “So far the money comes in from him every month and it’s such a relief. Why, Betty wouldn’t even have been in this recital if it hadn’t been for you.”
Invited to join them, Cary shook her head. “Thanks, but we’re with friends.”
As Cary and Betty moved away, Amy saw her father crouch down and hold out his hand to Sarah. “I’m your Grandpa Lou,” he said. “I’ll give you a hug if that’s okay with you.”
Instead of replying, Sarah reached out and hugged him. “Daddy said you were coming, but we kept it a secret from Mom so she’d be surprised.”
Lou straightened. “That was a fine performance,” he said. “You’re a talented girl.”
Amy hugged Sarah, saying, “I think so, too. I’m so proud of you, honey.”
Lou put an arm around Amy. “I’m proud of you, too, kitten,” he told her. “Both you and Russ proved me wrong about what I thought was best for you. Taught me a lesson. I promise I’ll try not to enforce my will on this one here—” he touched Sarah’s head “—or any of my other grandchildren.”
Someday I’ll tell him that I have the same failing, Amy thought. Thank heaven we both realized the problem before it was too late.
“What’s ‘enforce your will’?” Sarah asked.
“It means someone trying to make you do things you may not want to do,” Amy said. “Not necessary things for your health or safety, those are for your own good, but if I tried to make you play the piano instead of the violin, I’d be enforcing my will on you because I didn’t take into consideration what you wanted to play.”
“Oh. Like boarding school.”
Oops. Smart kid. In a way, Sarah was right, but someday she’d have to come to terms with the fact her birth mother was married to a man whose own convenience came first. It would take time.
“Your stepfather likes to travel,” Amy said. “That’s why boarding school came up. In his own way, he was trying to find a safe place for you while he and your mother were gone.” Lame, but it was all she could think of offhand.
“I made a tape of your solo and the duet with Betty,” David told Sarah. “I’ll send a copy to them when they get back from Bermuda so they’ll be able to play it and be proud of you, too.”
Sarah, leaning against Amy, nodded. She gently patted Amy’s enlarging abdomen and said, “We can play the tape for the baby, too, so he can listen to me playing. Ms. Archer says you’re never too young to enjoy music.”
“So you know the one coming is a boy?” Lou asked.
“That’s what the docs tell us,” David said.
As her father and David continued to talk, it suddenly struck Amy what she wanted to name the baby. She bent over and whispered in Sarah’s ear.
“Awesome,” Sarah said. She tugged at Lou’s hand. “Know what, Grandpa? Mom’s going to name the baby Louis, after you. But I think maybe I’ll call him Louie.”
Lou chuckled, tears in his eyes.
Amy looked at David and he took her hand, running his thumb caressingly over hers, his touch telling her without words how much he loved her.
What a fool she’d been to think that love could ever be controlled!
ISBN: 978-1-4592-4035-3
TROUBLE IN TOURMALINE
Copyright © 2002 by Jane Toombs
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