Missing with Bonus Material: The Secrets of Crittenden County, Book One by Shelley Shepard Gray
Authors: Shelley Shepard Gray
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right, but it still felt like it would be rude to just drop by unannounced. “I don’t know, Ab.”
“Come on. It’s not like they’re strangers.” She kicked her feet out in front of her, then crossed them. Then shifted again. Just being restless. Just being Abby. “They’re our grandparents, you know.”
“They’re also very polite and kind. Probably too polite to turn you away.”
“I already talked to Mom about it. She said I could go if you didn’t mind taking me.”
She might not have minded, but Walker had a feeling she probably wasn’t too happy about it. “But what about Dad? They’re his parents.”
“She said Dad would never stop me from seeing them.”
“Would never stop is a long way from being happy about this visit.”
“Walker, if you won’t take me, just say so. Okay? I don’t need all your opinions right now.”
Her words, and that sad look of acceptance, took the wind out of his sails. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I mean, I know this isn’t what you want to be doing . . .”
His sister looked so heartbroken, he didn’t have the heart to tell her no. Seeing his grandparents was complicated for him, too. Though it was never spoken of, he’d often felt the tension that rose between their father and his parents. Sometimes it seemed as if their dad was embarrassed by what he now thought of as important—his job, his car, the life he’d built for himself. It also seemed that there were a lot of unspoken conflicts that were never solved.
However, none of it was his business. He had enough problems without worrying about Abby’s. “How soon do you want to go?”
“You’ll take me? Really?”
“I’ll take you right after dinner. But you get to tell Dad yourself.”
“I will.”
Now that the burden wasn’t on his shoulders, he added, “Be sure to pack an overnight bag, too. But keep it in the truck. If you get the feeling that they’ll let you spend the night, then you can get it out. Okay?”
Her smile told him everything he needed to know, and pushed away the rest of his doubts.
Chapter 6
“I fished next to Perry once for three hours. When he caught the biggest bass of the day, he grinned, admired that fish, then threw it back. And forbid any of us to tell his parents. Don’t know why.”
J ACOB S CHROCK
G randma Francis smelled like sugar cookies. Abby was pretty sure she always had. She couldn’t remember a time when her grandmother hadn’t been surrounded by the scent of wholesome goodness. Even as a child, Abby recalled toddling into her grandmother’s kitchen, looking for both a cookie and a warm hug.
Yep, she had always equated her grandmother with everything good and trustworthy on the earth.
“Abby! Walker!” Grandma Francis exclaimed the moment they opened up the truck doors. “How gut it is to see you!” Smiling happily, she trotted down the narrow dirt driveway toward them like she was greeting long lost relatives. “What brings you two here this evening?”
When Walker merely raised an eyebrow and glanced her way, Abby felt nerves overtake her. Obviously her brother was going to let her do all the talking. That was the right thing to do; after all, the reason for the visit had been hers. However, it felt strange to be taking charge. Usually she was more than content to let him do the talking. And he was usually happy to do it.
As the seconds passed, Grandma Francis’s smile of pleasure was eclipsed by a frown of worry. “Oh, no. Is someone sick? Did something happen to your daed ?”
“Oh, no, Mommi, ” she said, using the Pennsylvania Dutch word for Grandma. “Everyone’s fine.”
“Then why are you standing there like a lost sheep and acting twice as quiet?”
As their grandmother continued to look at her patiently, Abby cleared her throat. “I wanted to see you and Grandpa. Walker didn’t mind driving me. Is that okay? I mean, I know you didn’t ask me over.”
“Of course, child. If you want to visit, you are always
“Come on. It’s not like they’re strangers.” She kicked her feet out in front of her, then crossed them. Then shifted again. Just being restless. Just being Abby. “They’re our grandparents, you know.”
“They’re also very polite and kind. Probably too polite to turn you away.”
“I already talked to Mom about it. She said I could go if you didn’t mind taking me.”
She might not have minded, but Walker had a feeling she probably wasn’t too happy about it. “But what about Dad? They’re his parents.”
“She said Dad would never stop me from seeing them.”
“Would never stop is a long way from being happy about this visit.”
“Walker, if you won’t take me, just say so. Okay? I don’t need all your opinions right now.”
Her words, and that sad look of acceptance, took the wind out of his sails. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I mean, I know this isn’t what you want to be doing . . .”
His sister looked so heartbroken, he didn’t have the heart to tell her no. Seeing his grandparents was complicated for him, too. Though it was never spoken of, he’d often felt the tension that rose between their father and his parents. Sometimes it seemed as if their dad was embarrassed by what he now thought of as important—his job, his car, the life he’d built for himself. It also seemed that there were a lot of unspoken conflicts that were never solved.
However, none of it was his business. He had enough problems without worrying about Abby’s. “How soon do you want to go?”
“You’ll take me? Really?”
“I’ll take you right after dinner. But you get to tell Dad yourself.”
“I will.”
Now that the burden wasn’t on his shoulders, he added, “Be sure to pack an overnight bag, too. But keep it in the truck. If you get the feeling that they’ll let you spend the night, then you can get it out. Okay?”
Her smile told him everything he needed to know, and pushed away the rest of his doubts.
Chapter 6
“I fished next to Perry once for three hours. When he caught the biggest bass of the day, he grinned, admired that fish, then threw it back. And forbid any of us to tell his parents. Don’t know why.”
J ACOB S CHROCK
G randma Francis smelled like sugar cookies. Abby was pretty sure she always had. She couldn’t remember a time when her grandmother hadn’t been surrounded by the scent of wholesome goodness. Even as a child, Abby recalled toddling into her grandmother’s kitchen, looking for both a cookie and a warm hug.
Yep, she had always equated her grandmother with everything good and trustworthy on the earth.
“Abby! Walker!” Grandma Francis exclaimed the moment they opened up the truck doors. “How gut it is to see you!” Smiling happily, she trotted down the narrow dirt driveway toward them like she was greeting long lost relatives. “What brings you two here this evening?”
When Walker merely raised an eyebrow and glanced her way, Abby felt nerves overtake her. Obviously her brother was going to let her do all the talking. That was the right thing to do; after all, the reason for the visit had been hers. However, it felt strange to be taking charge. Usually she was more than content to let him do the talking. And he was usually happy to do it.
As the seconds passed, Grandma Francis’s smile of pleasure was eclipsed by a frown of worry. “Oh, no. Is someone sick? Did something happen to your daed ?”
“Oh, no, Mommi, ” she said, using the Pennsylvania Dutch word for Grandma. “Everyone’s fine.”
“Then why are you standing there like a lost sheep and acting twice as quiet?”
As their grandmother continued to look at her patiently, Abby cleared her throat. “I wanted to see you and Grandpa. Walker didn’t mind driving me. Is that okay? I mean, I know you didn’t ask me over.”
“Of course, child. If you want to visit, you are always
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