“Can you stop for a minute, honey?”

Belle typed a bit more and then halted, making a show out of slowing and then stopping one reluctant key at a time.

She turned in her old leather and wood swivel chair.

“I’m pretty busy, Mom.”

“You look good sitting there, Belle. You look like a real writer.”

“I am a real writer.”

“I know, I didn’t mean-those photos out front are fascinating.”

“Which ones?”

“The sod houses?”

“They’re the weaker ones. I’ve got better.”

“Oh, well…” She resorted to her strongest weapon. “I don’t want to interrupt you. I just need to use your phone to call Laurie.”

“Why?”

Annabelle battled inwardly with her scruples and then brushed them aside in favor of coaxing warmth from her child. “I’m worried about her and Hugh-Jay, Belle. I don’t like the way she flirts with Chase.”

Belle’s eyes got big. “You noticed?”

“Who could miss it?”

“It’s ridiculous. I don’t know how Hugh-Jay stands it.”

“It’s got to stop.”

They looked at each other in pleasant agreement, but then Belle looked doubtful. “Shouldn’t Hugh-Jay be the one to stop it, Mom? And anyway, it’s not like she flirts only with Chase.”

“Who else?”

“Who doesn’t she?”

“I’ve never seen her flirt with Bobby. Oh, I hate even saying that!”

“She’s got her ways.” A look of disgust crossed Belle’s face. “She picks on him and insults him. That’s as good as flirting to Bobby ’cause it knocks him down and keeps him interested.”

She stared at her daughter, impressed at her perception.

“Has she ever flirted with Meryl?”

“Not when I’m around,” Belle said with an indignant and proud lift to her chin. “But Meryl says she tries it at other times.”

“Oh, honey.”

Her daughter’s face was flushed. “Don’t worry, Mom. Meryl always makes sure she gets the message that he’s not available, not even to her.”

She felt a rush of compassion for her daughter who had spent her whole life in the shadow of a girl whose pretty face and vivacious manner got her everything she ever wanted. She remembered times when Belle looked as if she’d been crying after parties and other events when she was the wallflower to Laurie’s popularity. She recalled Belle’s barely hidden unhappiness when her oldest brother started dating, then got engaged, and then married Laurie. Thank God for Meryl Tapper, she thought, because he was the best revenge-a boy as nice as Belle’s own brother, and one who liked her exactly as she was, which wasn’t nearly as prickly when he was around to smooth her edges. When Meryl was with her, Belle was almost pretty, too, and her lovely complexion glowed with the pleasure of his attention. If Laurie ever did anything to threaten that happiness, Annabelle thought she would kill her.

Feeling guilty because Belle looked upset, she changed the subject. “Where were you last night, dear daughter?”

“Here.” The lift of Belle’s chin changed to a stubborn tilt.

“Not out with Meryl?”

“He was working.”

“That boy is always working.”

“Don’t patronize him.”

She sighed. “I didn’t mean to.” She and Hugh both had their fingers crossed for the match between Belle and the boy they loved like a fourth son. They’d helped send Meryl to college and law school and were the first to throw work his way when he hung out his shingle. Hugh liked to joke that maybe they could get a good son-in-law for their money even if he didn’t turn out to be a great lawyer. But it was beginning to look as if they had a chance of getting both-a fine lawyer right in the family. “After Belle,” Hugh liked to say, “a judge or jury will be a piece of cake for that boy.”

Rather than take the chance of falling into other conversational traps, she reached for the phone on the desk and called Laurie. When that was done and she was properly invited over, she gave Belle a long, somber look.

“What, Mom?”

Belle reached over to touch her mother’s knee.

“Something bad happened at the ranch last night, honey.”

She blinked back tears prompted partly by the wickedness of Billy Crosby, but mostly by the warmth of her daughter’s touch and the expression of concern on Belle’s face.

AFTER LEAVING THE BANK, she girded herself for her upcoming visit to the other challenging young woman in her family. Alone in her car, she closed her eyes and prayed for her eldest son’s marriage. Then, sending waves of love ahead of her toward her granddaughter, she prayed for Jody to always stay as sweet and happy and easy to get along with as she was now.

12

“LOOK AT YOU!” Annabelle smiled at the little girl on her lap. “So big!”

Everybody thought it was adorable how Jody-named Laurie Jo after her mother-had been born with naturally dark and pixie hair to match Laurie’s. She also had her mother’s dark brown eyes and delicate frame. Annabelle, feeling a tad disloyal to her own son, was glad for the child’s sake that the gene pool had tilted toward Laurie instead of Hugh-Jay.

A warm, oozing triangle of apple pie sat on the kitchen table in front of her.

Annabelle, who had accepted an offer of vanilla ice cream to go with the pie, also had to admit that Laurie made fine pies. This one had a lattice crust baked to a perfect golden brown. Sugar crystals sparkled on top, exactly as they should. With her free hand, she took up her fork, cut into the triangle, and gave the first fragrant, gooey bite to her granddaughter, who smiled at her around the fork, making Annabelle’s heart squeeze with love.

While Jody chewed noisily, Annabelle took a bite for herself.

“Mm, it’s wonderful, Laurie.”

“It’s good, Mommy.”

Inside, the filling was just tart enough to make it perfect.

Her gratitude for both the grandchild and the food made it easier for her to smile at her daughter-in-law, who sat across from her at the kitchen table. Laurie, who had an artistic streak, had painted the table sunflower yellow to match her gingham curtains, and pottery that she herself had painted-with big poppy blossoms of orange, yellow, red, and white-and fired in a kiln. They looked like spring bouquets around the circular table. In her yellow sundress, she added the final touch of beauty to the scene. Outside, the day was getting darker and darker by the minute; inside, there was sunshine. Laurie should have gone to an art school, Annabelle thought, instead of trying to make it through a university that expected her to pass freshman biology. When Annabelle had dreamed of having daughters-in-law, this wasn’t the one she thought she’d get, especially not from Hugh-Jay. She realized now that she should never have underestimated a young man’s-any young man’s-vulnerability to a pretty face and figure. And, oh well, she had two more sons and two more chances for the cozy female relationship she rarely had with her own Belle.

In the meantime she had a perfect granddaughter.

Annabelle hugged Jody to her as the child reached for more pie.

“I’ll stay here with Jody,” she offered, starting casually upon her agenda. “You go do anything you need to do.”

Laurie sighed. “I may just take a long leisurely bath.”

“It’s good to get a break,” Annabelle said with careful casualness. “When our kids were little, Hugh and I treasured the times we could get away, even though we missed the children.”

“That would be nice. To get away.”

This is too easy, Annabelle thought, suppressing a smile.

She observed the unhappy downward curve to Laurie’s pretty mouth.

“Are you ready for a little break, honey?”

“Oh, God, yes. A bath will feel great. I may even light candles.”

Annabelle smiled. “Actually, I meant a longer break than that, like a couple of days to go somewhere.”

“I’m ready for a break of about ten years.” Laurie said, and then she sighed. “In Tahiti.”