Possessions by Judith Michael Page B

because he had lost the coin toss and would not get the window seat until the trip home. “Well, I want to know why he didn’t tell us, even if you don’t,” Jennifer retorted. “He probably didn’t like them,” Todd said. “You don’t have to like people just because they’re your family. We probably won’t like them either. I bet they aren’t even Daddy’s family; I bet it’s all a stupid mistake. I wish we weren’tgoing.” “Me too,” Jennifer confessed. “It’s scary. Daddy would have told us if we had grandparents. Why did they invite us? We should have stayed home.” “Maybe they’re going to kidnap us,” said Todd. “And hold us for ransom.” “Who’d pay?” Jennifer demanded. “Daddy, of course,” said Todd. “Only he’s not here,” he remembered. “So nobody will and they’ll never let us go and we’ll be prisoners for ever and ever.”
    â€œOh, enough,” Katherine said between weariness and amusement. “It seems pretty clear that the Haywards are Daddy’s family, which means they’re our family, and I’m sure they’re not scary. Ross said they want to meet us, and maybe all of us together can figure out why Daddy never told us about them. Or we won’t know until he comes back and tells us himself. But no more guessing, all right? Just think instead how nice it will be to have an instant family to help us.”
    An instant family. Waiting for them. In a way, Jennifer was right: it was scary. But, sitting on the aisle of the huge airplane, watching her children inspect their wrapped silverware and small dishes of food, Katherine recaptured her eagerness. The Haywards would be a place to belong, an anchor to cling to when everything else seemed to be collapsing. And someone to talk to about Craig. There was no one else; Katherine had tried to call Leslie, but she was out of town. With the Haywards, she wouldn’t be alone anymore.
    Her eagerness was in her face when Ross met them at the airport. By the time they reached Victoria’s building, it was in Jennifer’s and Todd’s, too, though they clung to Katherine’s hands in the elevator, and hung back as Ross led them into an apartment where a cluster of people waited. “Craig’s family,” Ross said quietly.
    A circle of piercing, measuring eyes surrounded Katherine. Craig’s family. Impossible. But no one contradicted Ross when he said it. My husband’s family. And I never knew they existed.
    â€œVictoria Hayward,” Ross said into the brief silence. “Craig’s grandmother. Katherine Fraser.” The two women faced each other. Eighty years old, Victoria was as tall as Katherine and as slender. With skin like finely webbed parchment, and short, pure white curls about her head, she had a regal beauty that made Katherine nervous. Beneath that calm gaze, she felt young, and inexperienced.
    Their hands met, Victoria’s cool and dry, unexpectedly firm.“Welcome, my dear,” she said with a faint smile. “You come as a surprise.”
    â€œAnd Todd and Jennifer Fraser,” Ross said, bringing the children forward. Victoria glanced at them and her body went very still. Behind her, a woman gasped. Touching Todd’s blond hair, Victoria said, “Your son. And you named your daughter Jennifer.”
    â€œDaddy chose it,” said Jennifer. “It was his favorite name, he said.”
    â€œYes,” Victoria murmured.
    Todd looked at her challengingly. “Are you our grandmother?”
    â€œIncredible,” Victoria said. “Even the voice—”
    â€œI am.” A small woman, her shoulders hunched, came forward, holding out her hands to Todd and Jennifer. “Your grandmother.” She smiled tremulously at Katherine. “I’m Ann Hayward. Craig’s mother. And Jason—” She