Chapter Thirteen 6 страница

Giving Amanda a reassuring smile, Lex kissed Lorrie on the forehead. “That's right.” She winked at Melanie. “Although an ice cream party sounds pretty good to me, too.”

Amanda sighed. “All right. I can take a hint. Buckle up, girls. Let's go get some ice cream.” She laughed at the chorus of cheers, which included her wife. “Overgrown kid, ” she mumbled.

Since she was taking a different route to the store, Amanda was surprised when they came upon a new office building under construction. “I wonder what's going in there? ”

Lex checked out the structure as they passed. “Hard to tell. Maybe if we're lucky, it's an ice cream parlor.” She laughed at the frown on her wife's face. “Aw, come on. You know you'd like it.”

“You are such a troublemaker.” Amanda shook her head but couldn't help but smile.

#

Amanda pulled the Xterra into its usual place behind the house and turned off the engine. Her cheeks were sore from laughing and smiling. Lex definitely added a different angle to the drive home. She kept both girls happy and energized with her ongoing commentary, and even had them chiming in from time to time.

A familiar SUV was parked in front of the small cottage that Martha and Charlie called home. The 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee had been a compromise between the couple after Charlie retired. He wanted something they could take on long trips and be comfortable. Martha wanted something “shiny”. They both enjoyed driving the Jeep, which withstood the rough country roads.

“Mada's home! ” Lorrie yelled, opening her door and leaping from the vehicle.

“Yay! Hey, wait for me, ” Melanie cried. She quickly followed her sister.

Knowing it was useless to call the girls back, Amanda got out of the Xterra at a more sedate pace. She removed their bag of groceries from the back, and came around the passenger's side in time to see Lex ease herself out as well. “Aren't you forgetting something? ”

Lex slowly stretched, her crutches still leaning against her seat. “Umm, do you need help with that bag? ”

“No, smartass.” Amanda pointed to the inside of the SUV. “Long, shiny things, remember? ”

“Hurts more when I use the damned things, ” Lex grumbled. She took them out of the vehicle and tucked one beneath each arm. “Satisfied? ”

Amanda ignored her and continued toward the house. “Guess I'll just have to eat all this ice cream myself.” She'd compromised and allowed the ice cream, but told her family they'd be having sandwiches instead of pizza. It helped retain her mom-status, at least in her own mind.

“Hold on there, woman. You're not touching my chocolate chip cookie dough.” Lex muttered several other things under her breath, much to her wife's amusement.

“Keep it up and I'll wash your mouth out with soap, ” Amanda promised. She left the back door open and took the groceries into the kitchen. She unpacked the bag and put the cold items in the freezer.

Lex came up behind Amanda and kissed her on the neck. She almost allowed the crutches to fall to the floor when Amanda turned and tugged her close.

Amanda's arms automatically went around Lex's head so she could pull Lex's head down for a kiss.

“I swear, it doesn't matter how long I'm gone, the second I come back I catch you two all over each other, ” Martha boomed from the doorway. She had a child on each side of her, each keeping a firm grip on the hem of her blouse.

Amanda released her hold and patted Lex on the stomach. “Later, ” she whispered. She edged around her wife and met Martha halfway. “Welcome home.” The older woman's embrace was warm and familiar.

“It's good to be back.” Martha looked past Amanda to Lex, who had a wide grin on her face. “I've been gone over a month but it looks like nothing's changed.”

“What's that supposed to mean? ” Lex asked, moving toward the group. She leaned the crutches against the edge of the table and held out her arms. “Where's my hug? ”

Martha made a tsking sound, but enveloped Lex anyway. “You're nothing but skin and bones, Lexie.”

“Ha! Blame my wife. She's the one that's got me on a blasted diet all the time.” Lex kissed Martha's cheek and pulled back to look at her. “And why do you keep looking younger? Did y'all find the fountain of youth on your trip? ”

Brushing her hair away from her face, Martha blushed. Gone was the bun she kept her hair rolled in for so decades, and in its place was a short, naturally-colored style that took years off her face. “Lexie, you're so full of bull pucky. I don't know how Amanda puts up with you.” She swatted Lex lightly across the stomach. “Are you going to enlighten me on what you did to yourself this time? ”

“Ow.” Lex rubbed her belly. “I figured Ellie would have filled you in on everything.”

“Ellie? She's here? ”

“She's staying with us for a while.” Amanda walked around Lex and picked up the crutches. She handed them to Lex. “Here. You forgot something. Again.” She gave the children a loving smile. “Who's up for some ice cream? ”

Both girls cheered.

Amanda laughed at their exuberance. “All right. Run and wash your hands.”

Lorrie stopped on her way to the bathroom across the hall. “Yes, ma'am. Come on, Mel.” She tugged her little sister along, wanting to hurry back before the adults changed their minds.

As soon as the children had left, Amanda turned to her wife. “If you'll sit down, I'll fix you a bowl.”

Lex started to argue, but the look on Amanda's face stopped her. “Yes, ma'am.” She kissed her wife on the cheek and with a smug look toward Martha, took her place at the table.

“She's up to something, ” Martha whispered to Amanda.

“Probably. It'll be fun to see how long she behaves, ” Amanda answered just as quietly. “Where's Charlie? ”

Martha gathered the bowls and spoons, while Amanda took the different ice cream containers out of the freezer. “He's probably sacked out in front of the TV. Ornery old man wouldn't let me do any of the driving home.” They'd spent the last month in a rented cabin in Colorado. It had been Charlie's turn to choose the vacation spot, and Martha swore he picked camping to get back at her for the cruise they'd taken last year.

“You drive like a little old lady, ” Lex teased. “If you'd been behind the wheel, y'all would probably still be on the road.”

“Hush, you.” Martha balled up a dish towel and tossed it at Lex. “At least we'd get here in one piece. Charlie drives the Jeep like it was a police car.”

Lex caught the towel and tucked in into the top of her shirt for a bib. “Thanks, Martha.”

“Rotten brat.”

Amanda laughed. “I call her that all the time.” She took a bowl of ice cream over to Lex, just as the girls raced into the kitchen.

“We're all clean, Mommy.” Melanie held out her hands for inspection. “Lorrie made me wash two times.”

Lorrie took her place next to Lex. “That's ‘cause she didn't use soap the first time.”

“Did too! ”

“Did not! ”

Melanie stomped her foot. “Yes I did! ”

“Girls, ” Lex warned. It was all she had to say, as both turned silent.

Mumbling under her breath, Melanie pulled out her chair and crawled into it. “Did so use soap.”

Lex held up her index finger and looked Melanie in the eye. “Last warning.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Martha chuckled. “I'll swear both of those girls have Lexie's attitude.” She placed a bowl in front of each child, getting a quiet “thank you” from both.

“And Amanda's temper, ” Lex added. She gave her wife an innocent smile. “Isn't that right, love? ”

Glaring at Lex, Amanda prudently refused to answer. “Martha, do you remember saying that Lex could find mud in a drought? ”

“I surely do.”

“Amanda—” Lex warned.

“You were right. That's how she hurt her back and her knee.” Amanda blew her wife a kiss. “Playing in the mud.”

Lex set her spoon in her bowl. “I was not playing.”

Lorrie piped up. “We tried to save a cow that was stuck in a tank.” Her face fell. “It died.”

Martha's eyes widened. “You were there, sweetie? ”

“Yes, ma'am. Momma and me was checking the pump and found the cow. The pump was broke, but the cow died before we could get it out. Momma tried to dig the cow's legs out of the mud, and it fell on her when the big cat made a noise.” Proud that she finished her story, Lorrie returned her attention to her ice cream.

“Lexie? ”

Lex sighed. “We've had a bobcat running loose lately and we haven't been able to catch it. We've got some traps set, so we can let it loose in the hills, but we haven't had much luck so far. So you might want to be extra careful walking up to the house, just in case.”

“I certainly will. But what's this about mud? ”

“The pump had quit working and the tank had dried up. The cow was in the middle of what was left of the tank, and I tried to dig it out. I had Lorrie holding a rope that I'd thrown around the heifer, and when the cat hollered, her horse jumped. The rope tightened and the cow fell over on top of me.”

Martha gasped. “Oh, my.” She turned to Lorrie. “I bet that was scary for you, sweetie.”

Lorrie used her napkin to wipe the ice cream from her face. “Yes, ma'am. But Momma made it okay.”

Melanie giggled. “And when they got home, Momma was really dirty. And smelly.” She sat up straighter. “I got to help Lorrie get clean. She was kinda dirty, too.”

“It was necessary, ” Lorrie explained. “That's what Momma said.”

“She would, ” Martha added with a wink. “Your Momma has always thought that getting dirty was necessary.”

Lex blushed. “Aw, come on, Martha.”

“It's true and you know it.” Martha finished her ice cream and stood. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go check on my husband. If he naps too much now, he'll never get to sleep tonight.” She kissed each child on the head. “You sweet girls be good, and we'll see you at dinner.”

Amanda gave her a quizzical look. “Dinner? ”

“I've got a roast in the oven and I'll bring it over about six.” She left the room before either woman could argue with her.

“How in the hell does she do that? ” Amanda asked. “She just got home. There's no way she could have cooked a roast.”

“I dunno. I gave up trying to figure it out a long time ago.” Lex scooped out the last of her ice cream and licked the spoon clean.

#

A gray, Chevrolet pickup, bearing the logo of the Rocking R ranch on the doors, pulled over and parked on the tree-lined street.

Ellie stepped out of the truck. “I really appreciate it, Roy.”

“Anytime. It was nice having the company on the drive in. Do you need me to pick you up when I'm through with my errands? ”

“No, that's okay. I've got a car here. But thanks.” Ellie closed the passenger door and gave him a little wave.

Roy returned the gesture and slowly drove away.

As the truck disappeared from view, Ellie turned and headed up the walk to her home. She opened the door and stepped inside, feeling the heavy weight of loss rest once more upon her shoulders.

Her eyes tracked to the item left casually on the arm of the sofa. Ellie crossed the room and lifted the men's suit jacket to her chest. She raised it to her face and inhaled, trying to catch even the slightest hint of her grandfather. Unable to detect anything, she felt tears burn her eyes.

“He's gone.” Ellie blinked the moisture from her eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. She knew in her heart that Travis wouldn't have wanted her to continue mourning his passing. “I'm sorry, Grandpa.”

With a new resolve, Ellie gently folded the jacket and started for the master bedroom. She had a lot of things to go through and pack.

Travis had made Ellie promise that she'd donate everything of his that she couldn't use. She had tearfully agreed, and felt a deep shame at the thought she had let him down.

She opened the master bedroom door and peered inside. A layer of dust covered everything. Ellie walked in and rubbed her itchy nose. After Travis had died, she'd cleaned the room one last time and closed the door.

Ellie ran her hand along the handmade quilt that covered the queen-sized bed. “I bet Lex would like this, ” she mused. Travis had told Ellie years ago that it was the last thing his wife Melanie had finished before her passing, and he'd only allow it off his bed long enough to have it cleaned.

After she had stripped the bed and got over a sneezing fit, Ellie opened the window. The cool air felt good on her dusty and overheated skin. She turned and surveyed the room. “The sooner I get started, the sooner I get finished.” Brushing her hands together to remove the dust, she focused on her task.

Chapter Seven

Amanda twirled her pen in one hand, staring at her silent phone. Her inbox was empty. With her office door open, she usually had to struggle to think over the din of women's chatter. Today, however, all was quiet. She dropped the pen to the desk and sighed. “This is ridiculous.”

Business had trickled to a crawl at Sunflower Realty. Amanda had tried everything imaginable to drum up business. In the slow economy very few people were in the market for a house, especially in a town the size of Somerville. When she first started working at the realty office they were staffed with seven realtors, not including Amanda. Over the last year that number had dwindled to three.

She heard the bell on the front door ring and looked up from her desk to see Peggy and Wanda hustle through the door. Curious, Amanda stood and met them in the front of the office. “I thought you two were at lunch.”

“We were.” Wanda perched atop the receptionist's desk. “I mean, we were on our way. But Peggy wanted to walk, ‘cause it's not that far and then we saw the sign, and had to go look and see what was going on. But we couldn't see much until we got really close and—”

Amanda held up her hand to stop Wanda's story. “Take a breath.” Turning to Peggy, she asked, “Would you mind? ”

“Oh. Sure.” Peggy grabbed a chair and pulled it close. “Sorry. My feet are killing me. These heels aren't made for walking fast.” At Amanda's glare, Peggy continued. “As Wanda said, we decided to walk to the café. The weather's not too bad, and I was tired of being cooped—”

“For god's sake, would one of you please get on with it? ” Margaret, the receptionist moaned.

Peggy gave her a hurt look. “All right, fine. We were almost to the café when Wanda noticed a new building going up down on Steward street.”

“Lex and I saw it the other day, too, ” Amanda added. “Oops. Sorry, go ahead.”

“Anyway, ” Peggy dragged out the word carefully, to make sure she wouldn't be interrupted again. “Wanda took off down the street to see what was going on. When we got there, we saw the sign.” She paused for dramatic effect, much to everyone's annoyance.

“What? ” Amanda and Margaret yelled, simultaneously.

Wanda took over the story again. “Horn Realty.” The new business was a national chain real estate firm, specializing in fast turnover. “Can you believe it? ”

Amanda dropped into a nearby chair. “Damn. I was afraid of something like that.”

“What do you mean? ” Peggy asked. “Did you know about this? ”

“Of course she didn't.” Wanda was quick to come to Amanda's defense. She knew as well as the others that business had dried up. Putting her hand on Amanda's shoulder, she asked, “You didn't, right? ”

Amanda shook her head. “Not exactly. But I had a sneaking suspicion that something was off.” She wiped her face with both hands before standing. “I need to check a few things.” She returned to her office, feeling the eyes of the other women upon her.

Once at her desk, Amanda opened the bookkeeping program on her computer and looked at the figures for the second time that day. They would be hard-pressed to break even this month. She had stopped taking a salary several months prior, hoping to weather the fiscal storm. It had only delayed the inevitable. She rubbed her eyes and picked up the phone.

The phone rang twice and was picked up. “Hello? ” Anna Leigh Cauble answered.

Amanda swallowed the lump in her throat. Her grandmother had opened Sunflower Realty over forty years ago. “Gramma? This is Amanda. Are you busy right now? ”

“Not at all, dearest. Is everything all right? ”

“Um, well. Would it be okay if I came over for lunch? ”

The sound of the television, which had been in the background, shut off. “Why don't you come over now? I've got a stew simmering away on the stove. We can make it brunch.” Anna Leigh's gentle voice was tinged with concern.

“That's even better. I'll be there in a few minutes. Bye.” Amanda hung up the phone and looked around her office. Photographs of her family dotted the credenza opposite her desk and also along the shelves of the nearby bookcase. When she became the office manager she had seen no sense in changing the furniture. The solid wood pieces had been made by Jacob Cauble for his wife, and Amanda felt a deep sentimentality for the set.

Amanda took her purse from beneath the desk, stood, and pushed in the leather chair. She walked out of the office and turned the light out behind her.

Near the front of the office, Wanda and Peggy still hovered around the receptionist's desk. The three women turned as Amanda approached.

Wanda scooted off the edge of the desk. “Are you okay? ”

“Not really. But since you seem to have everything under control, I thought I'd go see my grandmother.” Amanda hitched her purse strap over her shoulder. “Unless you'd rather I stayed here and kept the three of you company.”

Margaret laughed. “We could always use a fourth for canasta. But if you're too good to play with us, then I guess we'll let you go.”

Amanda stepped by the trio. “Thanks. If you get too bored, just lock up and go home. I doubt anyone will notice.” She walked out the door and tried to ignore the whispers behind her.

#

Lex grunted in pain as she swung herself up into the saddle. It had been a week since her injuries, yet she was still hurting. Thunder danced sideways but she had no trouble settling him down.

“Should you be riding? ” Ellie asked from her perch on Amanda's paint pony, Stormy. “Can't one of the guys go? ”

Lex leaned down and used her hand to put her right foot in the stirrup. The brace she wore on her knee was too bulky to allow much movement. “I've only got 3 guys working right now, and they're doing other things. It's just a short ride to check one of the cat traps. If you don't want to go, that's fine.”

Ellie shifted in the saddle. She'd been riding before, but wasn't as comfortable as Lex and Amanda on horseback. “There's no way I'd let you go alone. Besides, I like riding.”

“Uh-huh.” Lex took in Ellie's rigid posture. “I can see how comfortable you are, ” she teased. “But thanks for coming along. I'd take the jeep, but the terrain's too rough.”

“You couldn't drive, anyway. And I completely suck at driving a stick.” Ellie coaxed her horse forward. “Come on. Let's get this over with. I'll swear it's getting colder.”

Thunder shook his head as Lex tapped his flank. “She's a wimp, isn't she boy? ” She patted his neck and laughed at the look her cousin gave her. “Are you sure you're up to this? ”

Tugging her leather gloves, Ellie laughed. “I am if you are, cuz.”

“Smartass.” Lex led the way, trying not to show how uncomfortable she felt. They hadn't even left sight of the barn and her back was already stiffening up.

They rode for a while in silence, both seemingly content to enjoy the brisk morning. Most of the trees had lost their leaves, giving them an eerie, skeletal look. The only sound was the rhythmic thump of the horse's hooves through the deadfall. When a cool gust of wind blew through Ellie's coat, she tightened the material around her and suppressed a shiver.

Lex noticed the action. “Are you doing all right? ”

“Yeah. Kind of spooky out here, isn't it? ”

“It can be, at times.” Lex edged Thunder closer to Stormy. “How are you doing, otherwise? ”

Ellie turned to face Lex. “What do you mean? ”

“I know our kids can be a handful. I guess I just want to make sure they're not driving you crazy.”

“Actually, they've been great. It's hard to stay sad for long when you got those two around.” Ellie's smile reflected the recent healing of her heart. “I owe you and Amanda a lot.”

“Nah. You're family. Nothing to owe.” Lex decided the conversation was getting too serious. She grinned. “You're looking pretty comfortable on Stormy.”

It took Ellie a moment, but she finally recognized the look on her cousin's face. “Uh, yeah. I guess I am. Why? ”

“Let's have some fun.” Lex whooped and gave Thunder's reins some slack, causing the big horse to rear. “Heeyah! ”

“Oh, shit.” Ellie was barely able to stay on as Stormy took off after Thunder. “I'm going to kill you, ” she yelled at Lex, who laughed in response.

#

Amanda saw few cars on the way to her grandparent's house. Due to the light traffic, it took her less than five minutes to get through town. Everywhere she looked, she noticed the decline of the area. Businesses boarded up and overgrown yards showed the lack of attention. As she drove past the newly constructed Horn Realty, she fought off the urge to stop and throw a rock through their brightly-decorated picture window. She turned onto a residential street and was soon at her destination.

The Cauble's residence, a two-story Colonial, was located in one of the oldest neighborhoods of Somerville. The house was surrounded by mature oak and pecan trees and had been Anna Leigh and Jacob's home for over forty years.

Amanda pulled into the driveway and looked at the place she had spent so much of her youth. She hoped that the news she brought wouldn't change how her grandparent's lived. Taking a deep breath, she turned off the Xterra and climbed out.

The front door opened and Anna Leigh stepped onto the porch. Of average height, her powder blue slacks and navy blouse complimented her slender frame. The breeze caused a lock of silver hair to blow into her face, and she used one hand to brush it back into the short style she wore. She waved as Amanda neared. “This is certainly a pleasant surprise.”

“Hi, Gramma.” Amanda gave the older woman a hug before following her into the house. “I hope you feel the same way after we talk.”

“Of course I will. Nothing you could say would change my feelings.” Anna Leigh looped her arm around Amanda's waist and escorted her to the kitchen. “Your grandfather's going to be upset that he missed you.”

Amanda took her usual place at the kitchen table and inhaled deeply. “Lunch smells wonderful. Where is Grandpa? ”

Efficiently filling two glasses with iced tea, Anna Leigh placed one in front of her granddaughter. “He's gone to Austin to pick up some special lumber. He's planning on making a new dining table for Michael and Lois' anniversary. We were at their home for dinner the other night and Jacob couldn't stand their old table. Lois told us she'd had the same piece for over twenty years, and even then she'd bought it second-hand.”

“That sounds like Grandpa, all right.” Amanda added a packet of sugar substitute to her tea. She stared into the glass as if to find all the answers there. The light touch of her grandmother's hand on hers caused Amanda to raise her head. “I've ruined Sunflower Realty, ” she admitted quietly. “It's not even making enough money to pay the utilities.”

“Oh, my darling, no.” Anna Leigh patted Amanda's hand. “You've kept it going much longer than I ever expected it to be. I opened it on a whim, so many years ago.” She intertwined their fingers. “Growing up I'd never had a job. My father didn't think a proper young lady should do such a thing. Once Michael was in school, I felt the need to do something constructive. I'd bought Sunflower Realty for an investment, but soon became interested in doing more than just collecting dividends.”

Amanda raised her head. Her hopeful face encouraged Anna Leigh to continue.

“Before I knew it, your father had grown, married and had his own family. I'd become so engrossed in running my business that I didn't know where the time had gone. I hired a manager and was able to cut my hours significantly.” Anna Leigh got up and spooned out two helpings of stew. She brought the bowls to the table and finished her story. “I allowed the details of the office to slip away and was on the verge of closing it for good when you moved here. When Jacob had that horrible accident, nothing else mattered to me.”

In between bites of stew, Amanda paused. “And I just rushed right in and took over.”

“Not in the least. You showed such an aptitude for business that it actually gave me a new appreciation for it. I was very happy to turn Sunflower Realty over to your capable hands.”

Amanda sighed. “But I haven't been able to keep it going. Maybe Rick was the right person for the job.”

“Nonsense. That man couldn't manage a cesspool.”

“Gramma! ” Amanda nearly choked on her stew.

Anna Leigh looked very pleased with herself. “You're right. I'm sure he would have found a way to mess that up, too. Although he'd have been right at home.” She raised her spoon to her lips and blew a demure puff of air over it. “Are you still looking for a housekeeper? ”

“Yes, and no. Lex wants to, but I'm not sure I want a stranger in our house. I know she's right; I don't have the time to work in town and at home.” Amanda nibbled on a tender chunk of beef. “Mmm. I can never get my stew this good. What's your secret? ”

“I cut up a roast instead of using stew meat. Makes all the difference in the world.” Anna Leigh put her spoon down and covered Amanda's hand with hers. “The office has run its course, Amanda. I think it's time to shut it down.”

Amanda blinked the unexpected tears away. “But what about Wanda, Peggy and Margaret? What will they do? ”

“Wanda will probably be more than happy to stay at home and raise her daughters. She's often hinted around at wanting to do so, but I believe stayed because she didn't want to leave you in a bind.”

“She's never said a thing to me, ” Amanda mused. “But Peggy is single. I'd hate for her to be out of work, especially in times like these.”

Anna Leigh laughed. “And she's been commuting back and forth from Austin, because of her new boyfriend. Honestly, Amanda. Do you not know the goings-on at the office? ”

“Obviously not.” Amanda put her elbow on the table and propped her chin in her hand. “And I suppose you know something about Margaret, too? ”

“Possibly.” Anna Leigh returned her attention to her meal. She took her time, watching her granddaughter's face out of the corner of her eye.

“Well? ”

Ignoring the outburst, Anna Leigh took a sip of her tea. She daintily wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “Margaret's mother has been asking her for years to move to Dallas and stay with her. She's used her job as an excuse, although I believe she's become quite agreeable to the idea.”

Amanda sighed heavily and dropped her spoon into her bowl. “Why is it that I go to work every day and not know any of this? But you come in to ‘visit' once or twice a month and know everything? ”

“I believe it's because you're too close to the situation.”

“Maybe.”

Finishing her stew, Anna Leigh pushed her bowl away. “Answer me this. What is the main reason you're dragging your feet over this? Do you and Lex need the money you were bringing in? ”

“Not exactly.” Amanda started to push the last of her vegetables around in her bowl. “I haven't been drawing a check for several months.”

“Excuse me? ”

Amanda shook her head. “I didn't feel right. We weren't making any money, and I didn't want to take away from the business.”

“What am I going to do with you? ” Her words weren't said with any heat, but Anna Leigh still frowned at her granddaughter. “What does Lexington say about that? ”

“Uh.” Amanda suddenly found something on the tablecloth interesting.

“You didn't tell her? ”

“She's been busy with trying to keep the cattle alive on the ranch. The last thing she needed was me whining about my work.”

Anna Leigh gathered their dirty dishes and put them in the sink. She stared out the window, as if weighing her words. “Are you and Lexington having trouble? You used to share everything with each other.”

Joining her grandmother at the sink, Amanda put her arm around the older woman. “We've never been better, Gramma. I thought I could fix things at the office before she found out.” She lowered her head until it rested against Anna Leigh's shoulder. “I didn't want her to know I'm a failure.”

“Oh, dearest.” Anna Leigh turned and held Amanda's face in her hands. “The only way you could fail is if you stopped being yourself. We are all very proud of what you've accomplished.” She kissed Amanda's forehead. “I was ready to close the office down years ago. You brought new life to Sunflower Realty. But I think it's time you focused on your family, don't you? ”

Unable to speak, Amanda could only nod.

#

With a heavy heart, Amanda returned to the office. As she stepped through the door, all three women stood to greet her. Amanda's emotions must have shown on her face, because Wanda immediately enveloped her in a warm embrace. Clinging to the older woman as if her life depended on it, Amanda choked out, “Did my grandmother call you? ”