by Lori Wick
"A little, and I can't say as I really like the guy, which is unfair on my part, but I can't get Kaiflin's face out of my mind."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the way she looked after she said yes to Rigg's proposal. She was radiant, but Bobbie's not. She could be talking about her dog for all the emotion she shows when discussing Cleve, and I just--"
Jeff left the sentence hang. He wasn't sure what he would wish for Bobbie, and besides, he must have upset
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Mrs. Bradford because her eyes were filled with tears again.
"Don't stop on my account," she said as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "It's just that I'm afraid that Bobbie is only considering Cleve because she thinks no one else will ever ask her." The words were accompanied by yet another teardrop, and Jeff, who had suspected something like this, felt he could cry himself.
"Is it true, Jeff, that no one would want my precious Bobbie? I'm sorry. That was unfair of me."
"I don't mind your asking," Jeff told her sincerely. "I understand how you feel. You want Bobbie to be loved. The more I get to know her the more I like her and want that for her too. But there's something very important missing in Bobbie's relationship with Cleve, and I can't get past that whenever I think of her married to him."
Maryanne used the corner of her apron to dab at her eyes, thanking God as she did that Bobbie had a friend who cared so much. Bobbie would be hurt if she knew she was being discussed, and Maryanne said as much to
Jeff.
He told his hostess that he would be praying for all of them and the subject shifted to ways of making Jeff comfortable in the living room until his family came.
Maryanne gathered all of Jeff's belongings and was again visiting with him when May and Bill arrived. Jeff was growing tired so they bundled their son into the wagon right away and headed for home.
Maryanne changed the bedding on her daughter's bed and cleaned the room. It wasn't until she was done and on her way out the door that she realized she would miss having Jeff around.
Another thought assailed Maryanne at the same time, and she immediately wished it had never come to mind.
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She took herself off to her own bedroom to pray. She
stayed on her knees until she had given her daughter, Cleveland Ramsey, and Jeff Taylor all to the Lord.
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twenty-five
Jeff was out of work for two full weeks, but long before those weeks elapsed it became apparent that the forces of law in town were not going to locate Jeff's attackers. An officer had come to question Jeff the same night he went home, but other than finding evidence of a struggle and a piece of fabric from Jeff's jacket, they told Bill there was not enough evidence. With so little to go on, includ ing no identification of the assailants, they would have to consider the case closed.
Bill stayed in Jeff's room after the officer left and Jeff shared with his father why he had been walling home alone. Bill's face showed grave concern and then relief when Jeff revealed he had told Sylvia he couldn't see her anymore.
"I've been living for myself for a long time, Dad, and I think it's time I stopped. I could have died the other night, and I think maybe God used the attack to get my attention."
Bill had held his son in a long, unembarrassed em brace. They continued to talk for the better part of an hour. Jeff, having just arrived home, was very tired
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when his father left the room, but was also experiencing more peace than he ever had in his life.
The doctor cleared Jeff for work one week after he arrived home, but things were going well at the office and May asked Jeff to humor her by staying home an extra week.
By the last weekend of Jeff's confinementhe was like a caged animal. It was Bobbie's half-Saturday at the office, and on Bill's request she agreed to go and see Jeff as soon as she got off work.
"Your father tells me you've begun to p.ace." Bobbie's voice came from the edge of the room and Jeff peeked over the newspaper he had been reading.
"I can't imagine what he's talking about," Jeff corn mented with extreme nonchalance. "I'm finding I could enjoy the lifestyle of the idle rich."
Bobbie spoke as she turned and walled toward the door she had just entered. "Then I guess you don't need company. I'll see you tomorrow or Monday at work."
Bolting out of his chair, Jeff raced across the room and pressed the door shut when Bobbie tried to open it. She turned and leaned against the wood, and then cocked
her head to one side as she looked at the man above her. "I take it you're feeling better?"
"Much," Jeff answered with a grin, thinking she was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.
'Tknd perhaps you would like some company?" 're you going to make me beg for it?"
"Oh, now that's a wonderful idea. You could get on your knees and for once I'd be taller."
Bobbie put one hand to her mouth, her eyes brimming with laughter, when Jeff dropped to one knee and took her hand.
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"Will you please tarry awhile and talk with me, Miss Roberta Bradford?"
It was too much for the small blonde. She dissolved into giggles and then followed him into the living room, laying her coat across a chair on the way to the couch. After they were seated together Bobbie removed her glasses to rub her nose. This particular action always drew Jeff's attention because she never complained about wearing them or said they hurt, even though it was distinctly clear they weren't the most comfortable.
"The office was busy this morning. Half the time was spent telling people that you hadn't been hit by a runaway stage or mowed down in a gunfight. It's been like that for days." Bobbie shook her head. "It's amazing to me how the facts get tangled. It wasn't like that in Jen-
"You
mean not everyone knew everyone else's business?" left was amazed.
"'Of course they did, but they had their facts straight." Bobbie's dry tone made Jeff smile.
"How are you at checkers?" Jeff asked a moment later.
"Fair," Bobble said with a mischievous grin. "It all
depends on who's on the other side of the board." "Who do you usually play?" "'My dad or Troy." "nd do you win?"
"Now that would be telling!" Bobbie said, and then accompanied Jeff to the kitchen, where he set up the game. Jeff and Bobbie found themselves evenly matched.
When Jeff took too long to make his move, Bobble would begin drumming her fingernails on the table. The scheme worked every time. Thinking she was merely distracting him, Bobbie was unaware of how drawn Jeff
was to her beautifully shaped nails and exquisite small hands.
Jeff, on the other hand, found that nothing could distract his opponent from her move. She would cock her head in the way he found so adorable and study the board as if the checkers themselves were going to talk to her.
Jeff thought that if he bent over and kissed Bobbie's exposed neck, it would definitely snag her attention! Jeff suddenly sat up a little straighter. He was so shocked by the direction his thoughts had taken that when it was finally his turn, he just sat in flabbergasted surprise.
"Jeff-rey," Bobbie called in a singsong voice for the second time.
"Oh," was all he said, and Bobbie could see he was returning from miles away. .
"We can stop if you're tired." Bobbie's voice had become very soft, and she tried to read Jeff's mood from the look on his face. He was staring at her so strangely.
After a moment Bobbie's hand went to her hair in a self-conscious gesture and then traveled to her glasses to finger the frames. Her movements pulled Jeff back to the presentwthe movements and the disturbingly vulnerable look on Bobbie's face.
"Well now," Jeff said with a shake of his head, his tone
light, "I was certainly out of things just then."
"We can quit, Jeff."
'There it was again,' Jeff thought, finally putting his finger on the lo
ok. How many times had he seen Bobbie look at him with that expression of tender concern? But there was also a hesitancy in that look which told Jeff she was afraid her desire to help would be rejected.
"I'd like to finish the game."
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"Okay," Bobbie agreed, "it's still your move." She wasn't at all sure what had bothered him just then, but his light tone told her he was either all right or didn't want to talk about it.
"Did Sylvia come into the office this week?"
"No, I don't think so--that is, I didn't see her. Hasn't she come to visit you?"
"No, she hasn't, but that's because we're not seeing each other right now."
"Oh Jeff, I'm sorry."
''No, it's all right. I've been burdened for a good while that I need to begin focusing on things other than my social life. It seems as though that's all I've lived for lately."
His words surprised Bobbie, but she didn't show it. She had been under the impression that he and Sylvia were quite serious, and now he had just labeled her under his social life. Bobbie was learning that there was
really quite a lot about Jeff that she didn't know. "I'll be praying for you, Jeff." "Thanks, Bobbie."
Jeff won the checkers game and then May, who had stayed in the background during their visit, fixed them something to eat. Nate came home early from the ship ping office and Marcail was with him.
"My birthday is coming up in two weeks, Bobbie, and we're going to have a party. Can you come?"
"I'd love to, Marcail, but I think you should check with Kaiflin."
"I already did. It's going to be here at May and Bill's,
and Katie said I could ask whoever I want."
're any of your friends coming?"
"You're my friend, Bobbie." Marcail stated this as though it was the most obvious thing on earth.
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Bobbie hugged her. "I realize that, but I just wondered if this was a family party or a party with a bunch of giggling little girls."
"It's a family party."
"Oh," Bobbie said with a disappointed face. "I really wanted to be one of the giggling little girls."
Marcail must have thought this was wonderful, since she threw her arms around Bobbie's neck and gave her a mighty squeeze.
Only Nate noticed how quiet Jeff had been through the entire exchange and the way he watched Bobbie. Jeff's eyes studied her face when she wasn't even aware of his scrutiny.
"Here we go again," Nate mumbled so no one heard him, but he couldn't have been too upset, since it didn't keep him from reaching for another slice of gingerbread and the pitcher of cider.
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twenty-six
Bobble went straight to Riggs Mercantile on her next half-Saturday because the next day was Marcail's tenth birthday party. She had wandered around for a good 20
minutes when Rigg appeared at her side.
"Hi, Bobbie, how are you?"
"I'm fine, Rigg, but I'd be even better if I knew what your sister-in-law would like for her birthday."
'adah," Rigg said with a smile. "I honestly think you could just bring yourself. Marcail would consider you gift enough."
Bobbie smiled. "I think she's pretty special too. How is Kaiflin?"
"She's feeling better physically, but she just heard from her father and he's decided to stay in Hawaii for at least a year. It was difficult to hear, but in the long run it will be easier than getting news with every letter that he's going to be delayed."
"I think you must be right," Bobbie answered with more knowledge than Rigg realized.
She had written to Cleve and told him how she was
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feeling about their relationship. He seemed almost panicked because his next letter said he was coming to Santa Rosa right away. Wanting to settle things with Cleve as soon as possible, Bobbie had been relieved, but another letter came right after that to say that he wouldn't be able to get away until the spring and quite possibly the summer. It was a tremendous letdown, and Bobbie was discovering that the feeling of being in limbo was not,pleasant.
"I saw Marcail looking at these last week," Rigg was saying as he pointed to some hair combs and ribbons. "Tknd I know she likes lacy undergarments because she touches them and holds them to the front of herself every time she comes in."
Bobbie's interest was immediately piqued. "Does Kait-lin usually buy her this type of thing?" Bobbie held up a child's shift that was bordered with bright blue ribbon.
"I don't think she does. Kate's pretty drawn to that stuff too, so I think it's probably something they haven't had a lot of."
"Thanks, Rigg, I don't think you need to show me anything else," Bobbie said without looking at him, her eyes on the clothing before her. Ordinarily she might have been embarrassed to discuss intimate apparel with Rigg, but right now her mind was too busy figuring out what she could afford and exactly what Marcail might like.
Bobbie's stomach was beginning to growl from hunger before she made her final selection and started home. She was very pleased with her purchase and hoped her ten-year-old friend would be as well. She had only about 24 hours to wait before she found out because Marcail's party was right after church the next day.
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Bobbie had checked with May about what she could bring for lunch but May told her that she and Kaitlin were preparing everything. The weather over the week end would have been perfect for a camping trip but Bobbie told herself that she wouldn't miss Marcail's party for anything. She also asked the Lord to give them sun shine for the party. It was a selfish request, but Bobbie's heart was tender toward Marcail ad she wanted every thing to be just right.
Just right were the perfect words to describe the day of the party. Marcail waited outside the church and then asked Bobbie to sit with her during the service.
Their pew was full, with Sean on the far end and then Rigg, Kaiflin, Jeff, Bobbie, and Marcail on the outside aisle. Bobble and Jeff only had a chance to exchange smiles before the service began, but on the first song Jeff leaned to whisper in her ear.
"Why aren't you singing?"
"I'm trying to hear Marcail's voice." Bobbie's eyes were wide with wonder.
"You need to hear her when she sings with Kate and Sean. The word beautiful doesn't do them justice."
Bobble was awestruck. Marcail's voice was the clearest soprano she had ever heard, and as Bobbie turned to watch her she could see that it was effortless. The whole morning was special and it was with high spirits that Bobble made her way to the Taylors'.
'You're going to have to face facts, Jeffrey,' he said to himself. 'You're finding Bobbie Bradford more and more
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distracting all the time.' Jeff sat in the living room of his house and couldn't believe he was having this conversa tion with himself.
The room was packed. Jeff's folks were there, along with all his brothers, plus Kate, Sean, and of course Marcail. Mr. Parker and Joey Parker were also present. They were friends to whom the family had a special outreach, but the only person Jeff had eyes for was a curly-headed blonde who wore glasses on her delight fully upturned nose.
Jeff couldn't believe how many times he had thought about kissing that nose over the last two weeks. Maybe it was because Sylvia had kissed him, but Jeff knew he was ,terribly preoccupied with hugging and kissing lately. He found himself envying Rigg, who had a wife to hold whenever he so wanted.
Jeff always assumed that he would marry someday, but lately it was becoming something of an obsession. He even found himself imagining what his and Bobbie's children would look like. He had never had such thoughts of Sylvia, and Jeff spent a lot of time asking God to show him what it all meant.
What if he was falling in love with Bobbie? She was committed to Cleve. Jeff found the name more distaste ful all the time. And on the rare moments when he thought about Bobbie kissing Cleve, he felt something akin to grief. He had almost slipped one day at work and asked her if they had kissed much. He k
new the question was none of his business, but it plagued him nonethe less. Maybe he should just ask her, get his face slapped, and have it out of his system.
The room had emptied while Jeff sat in a daze. Marcail had opened all her gifts and the family was gathered in the kitchen for cake. Bobbie noticed that Jeff wasn't
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present and went back to find him in a chair in the far comer of the living room.
"Jeff, are you coming to the kitchen?" Bobble asked the question after she had stopped by his chair.
"Yes, I'll come right now," Jeff answered, glad for the diversion.
Marcail shot into the room just then and made straight for her presents. She scooped up the lovely undergarments that Bobbie had picked out for her and rushed over to left.
"Jeff, did you see these? Bobbie gave them to me. Aren't they pretty?"
"Very nice," Jeff answered, thinking how grownup Bobbie had made Marcail feel with such a gift. Marcail was holding up a cotton undershirt and bloomers; both were piped in pink braid.
"Marc!" Kate's voice called from the kitchen and the three went out together. Marcail skipped out to have her cake, thinking that this day had been almost as good as Christmas.
twenty-se.ve,-,
Oh Sean, not again." The words were uttered in agony and came from the 15-year-old's sister. Kaitlin had been sitting in the living room for hours waiting for Sean to come home. Rigg had sat with her until close to midnight, but he had to work the next day and Kate told him to go to bed. They were both too tired to give thought to the fact that Kaitlin had to work in the morning as well.
"Sit down, Sean." Kate moved toward her brother and then almost stepped back when a wave of alcohol fumes assailed her senses.
Sean mumbled something unintelligible as Kate put her arm around him, but she ignored her inebriated brother. Her pregnancy made her ungainly, and when Sean tripped on the edge of the rug, he almost took them both to the floor.