Daisy Lane by Pamela Grandstaff Page A

bad-tempered person who didn’t put up with any foolishness in her store, so Grace was a little intimidated by her reputation as well as her great height. Up close, though, she didn’t seem hateful, and her eyes weren’t mean at all.
    She had the same bright blue eyes as her cousin Claire, but with pale gold eyelashes and eyebrows. Also unlike Claire, every inch of Maggie’s pale skin was covered with little auburn freckles. Maggie was not what her grandpa would call “dolled up” like Claire, but she was pretty nonetheless, in a more fresh-air and soap-clean way. As they talked about books Grace revised her first impression of Maggie; she was nicer than she seemed.
    “I loved His Dark Materials ,” Maggie said. “He’s allegedly working on a fourth, you know.”
    “I didn’t know that,” Grace said.
    “What else have you read?”
    “I really liked Mapp and Lucia ,” Grace said. “We read it for English class last semester and then I read all the other ones on my own.”
    “Lucia and Georgie are hilarious,” Maggie said. “Have you seen the PBS series of the books?”
    Grace just shook her head rather than say she didn’t have a TV.
    “They probably have the videos at the library,” Grace said. “Look for them; they’re great.”
    Tommy put Hannah down and she promptly head-butted him in the stomach. After he recovered from that they hugged, and then Hannah followed him back over to where the rest of them were standing.
    “I know you!” Hannah said cheerfully to Grace. “You saved my son from a pack of wild dogs. He’s been talking nonstop about you ever since.”
    “Jax and Wally really did it,” Grace said quietly. “I was just there.”
    “Sam said you were swinging a branch and screaming like a banshee,” Hannah said.
    “How is he?” Grace said.
    Hannah winked at Grace, saying, “Grouchy and sore, but that’s nothing new.”
    “You need to tag Sammy’s ear,” Maggie said. “Then you could track him on a GPS.”
    “He’s doing great in day care during the week,” Hannah said. “It’s depending upon my mother on the weekend that’s the problem. I’m on call and Sam’s got a group at the community center. She just can’t keep track of him.”
    “I’d watch him any time,” Claire said. “Just call me.”
    “Except Saturday is your busiest day,” Maggie said. “Just like me.”
    “Hey, do you babysit?” Hannah asked Grace.
    “I haven’t done it before,” Grace said.
    “Piece of cake,” Hannah said.
    Maggie and Claire both laughed.
    “Yeah, right,” Maggie said.
    “Just never take your eyes off him, not even for a second,” Claire said.
    “Sure,” Grace said. “I’d love to.”
    “I’ll help,” Tommy said. “Sammy’s a blast.”
    “Hey, let’s go toilet paper someone’s house!” Hannah said. “I wanna be a teenager with you guys.”
    “Nobody does that anymore,” Tommy said.
    “No?” Hannah said, looking disappointed. “Bummer.”
    “You guys go on,” Claire said, “before we contaminate you with our oldness.”
    Grace curiously found that she kind of wanted to hang out with them longer. For older ladies they seemed like a lot of fun.
    Once they were out of earshot, Grace said, “They seem nice.”
    “They’re great,” Tommy said. “When my mom and I first came here, we lived with Claire’s parents, Ian and Delia. They’re kind of like my grandparents, except Ian sometimes thinks I’m his son who died a long time ago. He had a stroke and now his memory’s not too good.”
    “That’s sad,” Grace said. “There sure are a lot of Fitzpatricks in this town.”
    “Maggie’s mom runs the bakery. Maggie’s dad got hurt a long time ago so he doesn’t do anything. Claire’s dad was the chief of police before Scott, and Hannah’s dad owns the gas station.”
    “I know who they all are from hanging out at Charlotte’s,” Grace said. “It must be nice being part of a big family like that.”
    “Yeah, I guess,” Tommy said.