Wileyville, then could it?”
“April…”
Her sister’s gaze lifted and met Sadie’s for only a moment. Pain, then confusion, then sober resolve took over again.
She tipped the kettle up and the water cascaded and swirled into the mug. “Well, whatever reason this job came to you, I, for one, think it’s…Hmm, how would I describe it?”
“Creepy?” Sadie suggested, dipping the tea bag into the steaming liquid in front of her.
“Inspired.”
“By madness?”
“No.”
“Well the more I think about it, the crazier it sounds to me.”
“What does Ed say? What about the kids?”
“Ed and the kids? They don’t say much of anything, least not to me.”
“Something wrong at home, Sadie?”
Something was wrong at heart . But how did you express that to a sister with whom you had never truly opened up? It was probably too late for that kind of relationship now.
“Everything at home is, you know, the way it always is.”
“Then what’s keeping you from that new job? What are you afraid of, Sadie?”
When did she sprout a sign proclaiming: Please feel free to butt into my life?
“Afraid?”
“You worried about what people will think if you take that job? Or that you might actually excel at something besides the things you decided ages ago should be your life’s work?”
“You mean my marriage and family?” She hit the words a little too hard, realizing too late it smacked of tossing in April’s face the very things she had not cultivated in her own life. She did not apologize, though, because that might make things worse. “My ‘life’s work,’ as you put it, seems to me very much a work still in progress. I’m not sure I’m ready to tackle more, especially now in the midst of the high drama of taking away Daddy’s Caddie.”
“When does it get out of the shop?”
“We have another week’s grace before we have to do the dirty deed.”
“He won’t surrender those keys without a fight.”
“Three of us and one of him,” Sadie reminded her, tapping her spoon against the edge of her cup.
“We may have to call in reinforcements.”
“Or get sneaky. You ever tried your hand at firing tranquilizer blow darts through a bamboo stick? Digging tiger pits? No-holds-barred Ninja fighting?” She curled her fingers and moved her arms in first slow then rapid circles, as if she might strike at any moment.
April withdrew her own spoon from her mug dripping tea on Hannah’s tabletop. “You’re saying we can get those keys if we use our heads.”
Sadie ducked then winked. “And maybe our teeth and feet.”
Quicker than a skinny minute, April grabbed a sponge and wiped up the almost imperceptible mess she had made. “We could sell tickets and raise enough to fund Daddy’s retirement.”
“What about Daddy?” Hannah walked into her own kitchen the way a debutante might walk in to a ballroom, perfectly groomed, totally confident and wavering on the very verge of getting sick and blowing the whole effect.
“Forget about Daddy.” Sadie forced more buoyancy into her tone than she meant to, but somehow couldn’t seem to deflate it as she added, “What about the mommy?”
“I refuse to answer on the grounds that Payt was with a patient and I haven’t spoken to him yet.” Hannah’s smile trembled. Tears brimmed just slightly above her lashes.
She didn’t have to say more.
“Oh, Hannah.” Sadie and April both went to her, folding her into their arms.
Sadie sniffled. She had prepared to hear only good news. She hadn’t even imagined another outcome. But suddenly this turn of events reopened her own pain, the very real pain of wanting a child with all her heart, and her own body unable to provide.
A sob caught in the back of her throat. She could not give in to her traitorous emotions now. Hannah needed her. She had to stay strong.
Hannah stepped away from them.
“You can try again,” April murmured.
Sadie stiffened.
“It’s too soon to worry anyway.” Flicking
“April…”
Her sister’s gaze lifted and met Sadie’s for only a moment. Pain, then confusion, then sober resolve took over again.
She tipped the kettle up and the water cascaded and swirled into the mug. “Well, whatever reason this job came to you, I, for one, think it’s…Hmm, how would I describe it?”
“Creepy?” Sadie suggested, dipping the tea bag into the steaming liquid in front of her.
“Inspired.”
“By madness?”
“No.”
“Well the more I think about it, the crazier it sounds to me.”
“What does Ed say? What about the kids?”
“Ed and the kids? They don’t say much of anything, least not to me.”
“Something wrong at home, Sadie?”
Something was wrong at heart . But how did you express that to a sister with whom you had never truly opened up? It was probably too late for that kind of relationship now.
“Everything at home is, you know, the way it always is.”
“Then what’s keeping you from that new job? What are you afraid of, Sadie?”
When did she sprout a sign proclaiming: Please feel free to butt into my life?
“Afraid?”
“You worried about what people will think if you take that job? Or that you might actually excel at something besides the things you decided ages ago should be your life’s work?”
“You mean my marriage and family?” She hit the words a little too hard, realizing too late it smacked of tossing in April’s face the very things she had not cultivated in her own life. She did not apologize, though, because that might make things worse. “My ‘life’s work,’ as you put it, seems to me very much a work still in progress. I’m not sure I’m ready to tackle more, especially now in the midst of the high drama of taking away Daddy’s Caddie.”
“When does it get out of the shop?”
“We have another week’s grace before we have to do the dirty deed.”
“He won’t surrender those keys without a fight.”
“Three of us and one of him,” Sadie reminded her, tapping her spoon against the edge of her cup.
“We may have to call in reinforcements.”
“Or get sneaky. You ever tried your hand at firing tranquilizer blow darts through a bamboo stick? Digging tiger pits? No-holds-barred Ninja fighting?” She curled her fingers and moved her arms in first slow then rapid circles, as if she might strike at any moment.
April withdrew her own spoon from her mug dripping tea on Hannah’s tabletop. “You’re saying we can get those keys if we use our heads.”
Sadie ducked then winked. “And maybe our teeth and feet.”
Quicker than a skinny minute, April grabbed a sponge and wiped up the almost imperceptible mess she had made. “We could sell tickets and raise enough to fund Daddy’s retirement.”
“What about Daddy?” Hannah walked into her own kitchen the way a debutante might walk in to a ballroom, perfectly groomed, totally confident and wavering on the very verge of getting sick and blowing the whole effect.
“Forget about Daddy.” Sadie forced more buoyancy into her tone than she meant to, but somehow couldn’t seem to deflate it as she added, “What about the mommy?”
“I refuse to answer on the grounds that Payt was with a patient and I haven’t spoken to him yet.” Hannah’s smile trembled. Tears brimmed just slightly above her lashes.
She didn’t have to say more.
“Oh, Hannah.” Sadie and April both went to her, folding her into their arms.
Sadie sniffled. She had prepared to hear only good news. She hadn’t even imagined another outcome. But suddenly this turn of events reopened her own pain, the very real pain of wanting a child with all her heart, and her own body unable to provide.
A sob caught in the back of her throat. She could not give in to her traitorous emotions now. Hannah needed her. She had to stay strong.
Hannah stepped away from them.
“You can try again,” April murmured.
Sadie stiffened.
“It’s too soon to worry anyway.” Flicking
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