the past year, without adding someone like you to the picture.”
Cherry reminded herself that Mrs. Trask was always going to be Raejean and Annie’s grandmother. Throwing barbs now, however satisfying it might be, would only cause problems later. Zach and Rebecca would have been astounded at her tact when she spoke.
“I’m sorry we surprised you like this, Mrs. Trask. I know Billy will want to explain everything to you himself. Won’t you consider waiting until he returns before you leave?”
“No.”
Of course, there were times when being blunt worked best. Cherry crossed to stand beside the twins. “I’m sorry you have to leave, Mrs. Trask. The girls and I will have Billy give you a call when he gets home.”
Cherry saw the moment when Mrs. Trask realized that she had been outmaneuvered. She wasn’t going to make a quick and easy escape with Billy’s children. Cherry was there to stand in her way.
Billy chose that moment to pull open the screen door and step into the kitchen.
Annie and Raejean gave shrieks of joy and raced into his wide open arms. He lifted them both, one in each arm, and gave them each a smacking kiss. “How are my girls?” he asked.
Raejean answered for both of them.
“Some man got mad at Mrs. Motherwell because she didn’t know where you were and Nana came and Mrs. Motherwell packed her bags and left and Nana said we should pack, too, and go live with her until you came back home, only this lady came a little while ago and said you were coming home really soon and we had to wait for you because you have a surprise for us. What’s our surprise, Daddy? Can we have it now?”
Cherry had watched Billy’s narrowed gaze flicker from his daughter to Mrs. Trask and back again as Raejean made her breathless recital. When Raejean got tothe part about a surprise, his gaze shot to her, and she thought she saw both panic and resignation.
“What are you doing back here so soon?” Mrs. Trask said. “I was told you were going into town for sup plies.”
“I got stopped by the police long before I got there and arrested for kidnapping,” Billy said.
“Then why aren’t you in jail?” Mrs. Trask demanded.
Billy’s lips curled. “I showed them my marriage license.”
“Who got kidnapped, Daddy?” Annie asked.
“Nobody, sweetheart,” Billy replied. “It was all a big mistake.”
“Then, can we have our surprise now?” Annie asked.
He knelt down and set them back on their feet. Keeping an arm around each of them, he said, “The surprise is that you have a new mother.”
Annie’s brow furrowed. “A new mother?”
Raejean frowned. “Our mother is in heaven.”
“I know that,” Billy said in a sandpaper-rough voice that made Cherry’s throat swell with emotion. “I’ve married someone else who’s going to be your mother from now on.”
Raejean and Annie looked at each other, then turned as one to stare with shocked, suspicious eyes at Cherry.
Raejean’s head shot around to confront her father. “Her?”
Billy nodded.
Raejean jerked free and shouted, “I don’t want another mother! Make her go away!” Then she ran from the room.
Annie’s eyes had filled with tears and one spilled over as she stared at Raejean’s fleeing form. Cherry willed the softhearted child to accept her, but Annie paused only another moment before she turned and ran after her sister.
Cherry met Billy’s stricken gaze. She felt sick to her stomach. The two charming and innocent little girls she had married Billy to save from harm, didn’t want anything to do with her.
“You’re a fool, Billy,” Mrs. Trask said, grabbing her purse from the kitchen counter. “I don’t know what you hoped to accomplish with this charade, but it won’t work. I’m more convinced than ever that my grandchildren belong with me.” She gave Cherry a look down her nose. “I’ll see you both in court.”
She made a grand exit through the doorway that led to the front of the house. Cherry and Billy
Cherry reminded herself that Mrs. Trask was always going to be Raejean and Annie’s grandmother. Throwing barbs now, however satisfying it might be, would only cause problems later. Zach and Rebecca would have been astounded at her tact when she spoke.
“I’m sorry we surprised you like this, Mrs. Trask. I know Billy will want to explain everything to you himself. Won’t you consider waiting until he returns before you leave?”
“No.”
Of course, there were times when being blunt worked best. Cherry crossed to stand beside the twins. “I’m sorry you have to leave, Mrs. Trask. The girls and I will have Billy give you a call when he gets home.”
Cherry saw the moment when Mrs. Trask realized that she had been outmaneuvered. She wasn’t going to make a quick and easy escape with Billy’s children. Cherry was there to stand in her way.
Billy chose that moment to pull open the screen door and step into the kitchen.
Annie and Raejean gave shrieks of joy and raced into his wide open arms. He lifted them both, one in each arm, and gave them each a smacking kiss. “How are my girls?” he asked.
Raejean answered for both of them.
“Some man got mad at Mrs. Motherwell because she didn’t know where you were and Nana came and Mrs. Motherwell packed her bags and left and Nana said we should pack, too, and go live with her until you came back home, only this lady came a little while ago and said you were coming home really soon and we had to wait for you because you have a surprise for us. What’s our surprise, Daddy? Can we have it now?”
Cherry had watched Billy’s narrowed gaze flicker from his daughter to Mrs. Trask and back again as Raejean made her breathless recital. When Raejean got tothe part about a surprise, his gaze shot to her, and she thought she saw both panic and resignation.
“What are you doing back here so soon?” Mrs. Trask said. “I was told you were going into town for sup plies.”
“I got stopped by the police long before I got there and arrested for kidnapping,” Billy said.
“Then why aren’t you in jail?” Mrs. Trask demanded.
Billy’s lips curled. “I showed them my marriage license.”
“Who got kidnapped, Daddy?” Annie asked.
“Nobody, sweetheart,” Billy replied. “It was all a big mistake.”
“Then, can we have our surprise now?” Annie asked.
He knelt down and set them back on their feet. Keeping an arm around each of them, he said, “The surprise is that you have a new mother.”
Annie’s brow furrowed. “A new mother?”
Raejean frowned. “Our mother is in heaven.”
“I know that,” Billy said in a sandpaper-rough voice that made Cherry’s throat swell with emotion. “I’ve married someone else who’s going to be your mother from now on.”
Raejean and Annie looked at each other, then turned as one to stare with shocked, suspicious eyes at Cherry.
Raejean’s head shot around to confront her father. “Her?”
Billy nodded.
Raejean jerked free and shouted, “I don’t want another mother! Make her go away!” Then she ran from the room.
Annie’s eyes had filled with tears and one spilled over as she stared at Raejean’s fleeing form. Cherry willed the softhearted child to accept her, but Annie paused only another moment before she turned and ran after her sister.
Cherry met Billy’s stricken gaze. She felt sick to her stomach. The two charming and innocent little girls she had married Billy to save from harm, didn’t want anything to do with her.
“You’re a fool, Billy,” Mrs. Trask said, grabbing her purse from the kitchen counter. “I don’t know what you hoped to accomplish with this charade, but it won’t work. I’m more convinced than ever that my grandchildren belong with me.” She gave Cherry a look down her nose. “I’ll see you both in court.”
She made a grand exit through the doorway that led to the front of the house. Cherry and Billy
Similar Books
