“You do that.”
“Unk Ryan, up!”
Sasha had abandoned her pots and spoon and now stood in front of her uncle. She raised her arms toward him. “Up,” she repeated.
“What does she want?” Ryan asked.
“Just what you think she does,” Cassie answered, not sure how it was possible to misinterpret the toddler’s request. “She wants you to pick her up and hold her.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
He mumbled more than spoke the comment as he bent over and reached for his niece. Sasha smiled broadly as he picked her up and held her in front of him. But when he didn’t move her close to his body, but instead kept her nearly at arm’s length, her smile faded.
Cassie dropped the knife and potato onto the counter, then moved next to him. “You’ve got to hold her so she feels safe,” she told him. “Sasha wants to snuggle. Rest her on your hip.”
She put her hands on the toddler’s waist and supported her while Ryan awkwardly shifted the child to his left. Only he didn’t have the same naturally curved hips that women had, Cassie realized a half second later as Sasha started to slide down.
“Wrap one arm around her waist and pull her to your chest. She can put her arms around your neck.”
She stepped back to give them room to maneuver, but it was too late. Sasha struggled to break free of him. “Down,” she said forcefully.
Ryan set her on her feet and shifted awkwardly. “I’m not around kids much.”
“It will get easier,” Cassie assured him, hoping she was telling the truth.
Sasha stared at her uncle with a hurt look of betrayal on her face. Tears were only a couple of seconds away, Cassie realized and moved to the silverware drawer.
“Can you help me set the table?” she asked, then handed the little girl three spoons. “Will you please put these on the table?”
Sasha sniffed twice, then took the spoons and carried them over to the table. She pushed them up onto the wooden surface, then took one back and returned her attention to her uncle.
“I’m not like you,” Ryan said, barely noticing the child. “I don’t have any natural ability in this arena.”
Sasha carried the spoon over to her uncle. She thrust it toward him. He glanced down at her, then at Cassie. When she nodded encouragingly, he took the spoon and patted the top of Sasha’s head. She beamed.
It was sad, Cassie thought as she watched them. If only Ryan had spent a little time in his niece’s company, he wouldn’t be feeling so out of place now. But he hadn’t and they were both paying the price. Every situation seemed so forced between them. She wished there was a way to make it easier…for both of them. The only solution was for them to spend more time together, but Ryan didn’t seem willing to pursue that option. He passed through their day like a ship’s captain checking briefly on the passengers before returning to more important duties.
“Be back,” Sasha said, then trotted out of the room.
“Was that a request or information?” Ryan asked.
“I think it was information.”
Cassie finished peeling the potatoes. She sliced them, then dropped them into the pot and set it on the stove.
“Do you want me to finish setting the table?” he asked. “You can probably trust me with the forks and knives.”
“Sure,” she told him. “Thanks.”
While he pulled out napkins and place mats, she went to work on the green beans. After a couple of minutes of silence, she began trying to think of something clever to say. When she failed on witty, she went with the obvious.
“How are you adjusting to working here?” she asked.
“I’m doing better.” He set out two place mats, then collected Sasha’s high chair from the corner and brought it over to the table. “I can do nearly everything I need to via conference call or through the modem. I might have to take a couple of trips back to San Jose, but they would be pretty short.”
Sasha raced into the kitchen and handed Ryan one of her dolls. He stared at it for a couple of seconds, then finally took it from her.
“Thank you,” he said.
Sasha grinned and raced out again.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” he asked.
“Just hold it. She’ll be back shortly and it will hurt her feelings if you’ve put it down.”
“Great.” He looked at the doll. “I’m not much into redheads.”
“Maybe you should let her know,” Cassie said. But what she’d wanted to ask instead was how he felt about brunettes. Ah, she had it bad, she thought with resignation. But at least she would probably get over him just as quickly. Crushes didn’t usually last…at least she didn’t think they did. She didn’t have any personal experience with the subject. Maybe she should phone her sister and get some advice.
Sasha returned to the kitchen and skittered to a stop in front of Ryan. This time she held out a battered, flop-eared bunny.
“You are too kind,” he said.
Sasha giggled, clapped her hands together and made another mad dash out of the room.
“Looks like she’s going to empty her toy box just for your pleasure,” Cassie said. “You might want to get comfortable.”
The toddler returned with a book. This time, instead of just thanking her, Ryan reached into his pocket and offered her a penny.
Her rosebud-shaped mouth fell open as her eyes widened. “Money,” she said with all the reverence of clergy addressing God. She held it out to Cassie.
“Wow. Look at what you’ve got.”
Sasha clutched it to her chest as she ran out of the room.
“You’ve made a friend now,” Cassie told Ryan.
“I wasn’t sure she would know what it was.”
“I doubt she knows the value of a penny over a quarter, but she has a slight grasp of the concept. I don’t think she would be as thrilled with bills as she is with coins, though.”
“So she’s a cheap date.”
A rattling sound warned them of Sasha’s approach. This time she carried her Mickey Mouse bank in her arms. When she stopped in front of Ryan, she set the bank on the floor, sat beside it and carefully placed the penny inside.
Cassie applauded. After a half-second delay, Ryan did the same. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out another coin. Sasha took it and again slowly slid it inside. When it clinked against the other coins, she laughed.
They continued the game until Ryan held up his hands in mock dismay. “I don’t have any more change, kid. Sorry.”
“’Kay,” Sasha said in an attempt to reassure him.
Cassie checked on the dinner, then glanced at the picture uncle and niece made. Handsome, businesslike Ryan sat on a kitchen chair with a red-haired doll and a worn stuffed rabbit tucked into the crook of his arm. Sasha sat at his feet, leaning against him, currently mesmerized by the laces on his athletic shoes.
His hair was lighter than Sasha’s curls; their eyes were different colors. But Cassie saw some family resemblance between them. She caught it in a glance, the curve of a smile. She suspected they would look more alike as Sasha grew from a toddler to a little girl and her features became more defined.
The oven timer buzzed. Sasha straightened. “Food,” she said.
“That’s right. The meat loaf is done and the potatoes will be ready in about five minutes. It’s time to wash up so we can eat.” She pointed at the toys in Ryan’s arms. “Will you please take those back to your room for me?”
“I’ll do it,” Ryan told her as he stood. “I’m heading back to my office anyway.”
Cassie tried to ignore the flash of disappointment that raced through her. He wasn’t going to eat dinner with them? She wanted to pout like Sasha, thrusting out her lower lip and threatening tears if she didn’t get
her way. Instead she asked, “Aren’t you hungry?”
He looked down at his niece, then at the set table. “Not right now. I’ll grab something later.”
Then he was gone. Cassie stared after him and wondered what had happened to chase him away. Her gaze moved to Sasha who was looking down the hall with the most forlorn expression on her face.
“I know just how you feel,” Cassie told her. “I wanted him to stay, too. And not just for me, but also because you two need each other. Unfortunately I don’t think your uncle has figured that out yet.”
* * *
“SO TELL me what to do,” Cassie said as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the kitchen table.
Aunt Charity poured coffee into her mug. “I’m sure it’s frustrating.”
“Exactly,” Cassie said, relieved to finally have a chance to come home and talk with her sister and her aunt about Ryan Lawford. The old Victorian house was similar in size to Ryan’s, but had a completely different floor plan. Here Cassie knew every room, every picture. She was familiar with the sounds and smells. Who would have thought that just a week away would have left her homesick? She’d even been pleased to see Old Man Withers sitting on his power mower as he trimmed the lawn. Even though the old goat did little more than insult any woman who made the mistake of offering him a friendly greeting.
“Sasha and I see Ryan less now than we did when I first arrived.”
Her aunt looked at her sister. They were, Cassie realized, a study in contrasts—these three women who had, for a time, lived in the same house. Her aunt was slender with dark hair pulled back in a neat chignon. Her tailored clothing emphasized the youthful shape of her body, despite the fact that she was well into her fifties. Chloe was beautiful, as always, but especially radiant at nearly six months pregnant. Her curly red hair tumbled down her back in loose disarray. If Cassie hadn’t loved her sister so much, she could have easily hated her for being so darned attractive. As it was, she depended on her. Chloe was her best friend and had been so all of her life.
“I don’t know what to do,” Cassie continued as she settled her hands around her mug. She glanced at the clock over the stove. She only had a short time until she had to pick up Sasha at the preschool. “It’s not that he’s hostile. I don’t think he dislikes her as much as he’s uncomfortable being around her. A few days ago he came in the kitchen while I was fixing dinner. Sasha was bringing him toys. He seemed fine with that. He even gave her a penny, which sent her racing for her Mickey Mouse bank. They seemed to be having fun together, but then he just left.”
She looked at the two women she cared about most in the world. “I’m completely at a loss.”
“How is Sasha doing?” Chloe asked. She was drinking a warm glass of milk instead of coffee, having given up caffeine for her pregnancy.
“Pretty well, considering everything she’s been through. She has her spells when she wants her mother. I hold her when she cries and, after a time, it passes. We haven’t really talked about her parents going to heaven and not coming back. I don’t know how to do that.” She drew in a breath. Despite her degree and her experience working at the preschool, at times she had no idea how she was supposed to help Sasha deal with her loss. Sometimes all she had to go on was what her gut told her to do.
“She’s sleeping and eating?” Aunt Charity asked as she set out a plate of cookies, then took the seat opposite Cassie’s.
“Yes. That’s all fine. I’m sure being in her house with her room and her routine is helping her. Ryan said he didn’t want to deal with the issue of moving her just yet and decided to stay for a few more weeks.” She pressed her lips together. “It’s not that he’s mean or rude. I think he forgets that she’s around.”
“Hard to imagine a toddler being quiet enough for that to happen,” Chloe said wryly.
Cassie smiled. “Okay, maybe forget is too strong a word. I think he has a fabulous ability to focus on his work and he can ignore her for long periods of time.”
“If he’s never been around children, I’m not surprised by any of this,” Chloe told her. “You shouldn’t be either. How many times have you gotten frantic calls from fathers left with their kids for the first time? If you don’t know how to deal with kids, it can be traumatic.”
Aunt Charity pushed the plate of cookies closer. “This withdrawal might be his way of dealing with the loss of his brother.”
Cassie took a chocolate chip cookie and nibbled on it. “I hadn’t thought of that, but you could be right. The question is, what do I do about it?”
“You’re going to have to remind him of his responsibilities,” her aunt told her. “He’s using you as a buffer and that’s fine for now, but you’re not always going to be there.”
Cassie sighed. “I know,” she said, even though she didn’t want to agree. The thought of having that conversation with Ryan put a knot in her stomach. “He hadn’t even met Sasha before the funeral,” she said. “I don’t understand families spending that much time apart.”
Chloe touched her hand and smiled. “Not everyone is like us. Some siblings don’t get along.”
“What a waste.” Cassie couldn’t imagine living in a household like that. She returned her attention to the problem at hand. “I guess I’ll say something to him. I’m just not sure what.”
“How is Sasha acting around her uncle?” Chloe asked. “Is she frightened of him?”
“Not at all. She keeps including him in things. She often wants him to pick her up, but he doesn’t know how to do it. He’s too stiff, which scares her. It’s never a positive experience for either of them. But Sasha is a sweetie and very forgiving. Ryan has a long way to go before he chases her off.”
“That’s something,” Chloe pointed out. “She can be your ally in all this.”
Cassie smiled at her aunt and her sister. “Thanks for the advice. That’s why I came here. I knew you two would be able to steer me in the right direction.”
Chloe sipped her milk, then smiled. “Our pleasure. And speaking of men who don’t have a clue, what does Joel think about all this?”
“Don’t insult Joel,” Cassie said automatically, stalling for time, even though she knew what her sister was asking. She did not want to have this conversation with Chloe.
“Okay. What does Joel think about your new living arrangements?” her sister asked. “Is he concerned that you’re staying alone in a house with a good-looking, older man? Someone sophisticated enough to sweep you off your feet?”
Chloe’s words were close enough to Cassie’s own fantasies that she was afraid she would blush. “Joel doesn’t think anything about it. We’ve spoken on the phone several times. He knows what I’m doing and why, and he’s very supportive. He’s not the jealous type.”
She made the last statement with a note of defiance in her voice, even though she wasn’t feeling especially pleased with Joel’s actions…or lack thereof. In truth she would have liked him to be a little concerned about her close proximity to another man. After all, Ryan was everything Chloe had said and then some. Ryan was handsome and brilliant, and while she didn’t know him that well, she could easily imagine him to have other fine qualities, qualities that every woman looked for in a partner. What she did know was that he was smart and driven about his work. She wasn’t so sure about his humanity, though. He wasn’t an obviously warm person, although she’d caught glimpses of humor now and then.
“It’s very nice that Joel is being understanding,” Aunt Charity said, and shot Chloe a warning look.
Chloe ignored it. “Joel doesn’t have the sense God gave a turnip. I can’t believe he’s just sitting back and letting you do this without protesting.”
“That’s not fair,” Cassie told her sister. “If Joel had gotten all macho on me and insisted I not live there, or if he’d been otherwise concerned, you would have called him a bully.
You’re not going to let him win either way.”
Chloe had the good grace to look a little uncomfortable with her sister’s words. “I would not,” she said, but without much conviction.
Aunt Charity patted Cassie’s hand. “You’re going to be fine. I’m sure Joel feels a little jealousy. What man wouldn’t? But he doesn’t want to show it. As for Ryan and Sasha, it seems to me that you’re on the right track. Be patient. It will all work out.”
“I hope you’re right,” Cassie said.
The three women chatted for a little longer, then Cassie got up to leave. Chloe walked her to her car.
“You’re glowing,” Cassie said as they paused in the driveway. She had to speak up to be heard over the lawn mower. Old Man Withers was still out doing his weekly round over the grounds.
Chloe pressed her hand against her bulging tummy. “I don’t know about glowing but I do know that I’m very happy.” Her smile was tender. “Being in love will do that to a woman.”
Cassie searched her face. “No regrets? It happened so fast. One minute he was a stranger, the next you were involved.”
“I know. When I think about how quickly we found each other, I have trouble believing any of it is real.” She smiled. “But the more we’re together, the more I’m sure this is exactly right. Arizona isn’t the perfect man, but he’s perfect for me. We understand each other so well, it’s almost scary. It must be the magic nightgown.”
“Must be,” Cassie agreed, trying not to be envious of her sister’s happiness. Despite being a nonbeliever, Chloe had worn the Bradley nightgown when she’d turned twenty-five and she’d dreamed about Arizona Smith. They’d met the next morning and sparks had started to fly instantly. They’d had passion…they still did.
“You’ll get your chance in a few weeks,” Chloe reminded her. “Are you excited?”
Usually, she was, Cassie thought with surprise. But not today. “I’m not a real Bradley,” she said. “Even if I was, there’s Joel.”
Chloe gave her a quick hug. “You’re a Bradley in your heart and I’m sure that’s all that matters. As for Joel…” Her voice trailed off. “I swear, Cassie, you make me insane with your devotion to that man. What do you see in him?”
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