Fancy Dancer by Fern Michaels

to need some kind of space and privacy.”
    Angelica, Angel to her friends, looked up at her daughter. “I’ve been thinking about nothing else since Judge Broussard called yesterday. The only thing I can think of is that we’ll get him a cot, and he’ll have to sleep in one of the schoolrooms. He can come over here to shower and shave, that kind of thing. We’ll tell him he has to get up an extra hour earlier than everyone else. We can’t be unkind to him, even though this is a punishment. And it will be nice to have a man here to help out. I’ve seen pictures of him, you know. He’s a handsome young man, he really is. He comes from serious money. Oil money,” she said in a hushed voice.
    “He’s a playboy, Mom. He has a different woman on his arm every night, and he drives a fancy sports car that cost more than it takes to run this place for a whole year. I saw those same articles and pictures. Don’t go getting your hopes up that this guy is going to save our butts. We’ll probably be cracking his to get him to do some honest work. Everyone isn’t fit to take care of kids. Even we have our bad days, and we both love kids. To be honest, Mom, I’m not looking forward to our new volunteer. And he’s coming with an ankle monitor. He can’t drive for a year; they took his license. So he isn’t going to be a help to us when it comes to driving.”
    “I don’t share your feelings, Fancy. I think it’s all going to work out just fine. Do you think you can give me my shot now?”
    Fancy smiled. “Sure, Mom. She reached inside the refrigerator and pulled out the needle with Humira. She plunged it into the softness of her mother’s stomach, rinsed the needle, then wrapped it in a plastic grocery bag before she threw it in the trash. “It’s wearing off quicker these days, isn’t it?” she asked, concern ringing in her voice. She felt her mother’s pain each time she looked at her swollen hands and feet.
    Angel sighed. She never could fool that astute daughter of hers. “Sometimes. I’ll make the coffee, you start the cereal. Five more minutes and he should be here.”
    “Oh, gee whiz, Miz Angelica, I can hardly wait for that white knight to come knocking on our door to save us two beautiful damsels. Yessiree, I can hardly wait.”
    Angel laughed and pointed to the back door. “I think the white knight just arrived on his trusty, or should I say the parish’s, four-wheel steed.”
    “Oh, this is going to be good,” Fancy said, her grin spreading from ear to ear. “Wait till Bobby lets all the dogs loose!”
    “Oh dear, I did forget about our other housemates. Well, that’s just something else our new volunteer will have to get used to, now won’t he?”
    “Yep, guess so.”
    Angel didn’t miss the giggle in her daughter’s throat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard Fancy giggle. Or laugh, or even smile. Maybe the new volunteer could help that situation. Maybe.

Chapter 4
    J ake looked over his new residence with a jaundiced eye. It was a big, sprawling house with additions going every which way. It almost looked like a puzzle with pieces missing.
    “I have to officially hand you over to the ladies,” the deputy said, his tone just short of embarrassed.
    “No problem,” Jake said as he craned his neck to look around. It was a nice setting, with old oak trees dripping Spanish moss. Peaceful. Restful. Here and there, he could see some grass. Just patches. The place needed Mika’s fine hand. The shrubs had been pruned at some point. Compared to a nine-by-six cell, this was definitely a better deal.
    Jake hefted his two duffel bags out of the trunk and slung them over his shoulder. He wished he’d taken the time to eat something. His stomach was growling. He followed the deputy, who was ringing the doorbell. The front door was opened by a woman sitting in a wheelchair. Her voice was soft and melodious when she said, “Please, come in.”
    The deputy waited until she turned