LITMIR.BIZ

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at her, his hands sweeping from the side pockets of his jeans to his back pockets, as if they couldn’t quite decide where to light. Then his gaze fell on the platter of ham steaks waiting on the island. Without a word, he picked it up and carried it out of the room. Kendra turned back to the chore at hand, only to find Lupita leaning to one side in order to send a look around her to Maddie, her eyebrows slowly lifting.

      “What?” Kendra couldn’t help asking. Lupita just folded her hands, a blank look on her face. Kendra turned to Maddie, but she, too, had put on a bland expression.

      “Oh, nothing,” Maddie said. “I’ve just never seen Jack carry food to the table before.”

      Lupita snorted. “He sits, he eats, he leaves.”

      Kendra didn’t know what to say to that or if it even warranted comment. After all, he wouldn’t have carried that platter just to keep her from doing it. Would he?

      * * *

      Ty Garland, the ranch foreman, came for Darcy just as the family began gathering around the long plank table in the dining room. The girl turned out to be his daughter, and from the way he and Maddie interacted, Kendra deduced that they were romantically involved. Maddie introduced Ty to Kendra then urged him to stay for the meal. He acquiesced readily, before disappearing into the hallway to “wash up.” Maddie followed, and Kendra could hear Jack grinding his teeth as they waited for the pair to return. Darcy giggled when they reappeared, holding hands and smiling at each other. Clearing his throat, Ty folded his tall frame into the chair beside Darcy. Maddie took the seat on the girl’s other side.

      Kendra automatically bowed her head. Beside her, Violet did the same. Jack sat at the end of the table. After a moment, he began to speak the blessing.

      “Lord, we thank You for the bounty of this land that feeds us, and for all those, past and present, whose labor blesses us. Keep us ever mindful of Your tender mercies and generosity.” He paused briefly then added, “And heal Mom. Please let her come back to us soon. Oh, and help our guest get her memory back and everything squared away. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

      Kendra quietly thanked him for including her in the prayer. She wanted to ask what was wrong with his mother, but she didn’t want to pry. Perhaps she could ask later in private. As the food passed and plates piled high, Maddie began to fill in Ty on Darcy’s day. The girl had apparently just started school. He listened quietly, occasionally nodding his head and smiling. Once, he reached over and patted Darcy’s hand. The girl paused eating long enough to beam a smile up at him. Maddie went on to say that she’d talked to her “other boss” about doing a regular column on the school.

      Violet mentioned that Maddie worked part-time at the local newspaper, as well as taking care of Darcy. Talk then turned to a brand of shirts that both Violet and Maddie liked. A certain style had apparently gone on sale. Obviously pleased, Maddie said she’d take a look the following morning.

      “I hope they still have that turquoise plaid,” Violet mused. “If they do, will you get one for me? I’ll pay you back.”

      “Sure, which one do you prefer, the one with gold thread or silver?”

      Violet waved a hand dismissively. “You get one, I’ll get the other. Then we can trade as we like.”

      “My thought exactly.” Maddie’s eyes twinkled.

      Kendra smiled, intrigued and a little envious of the two. She didn’t know if she had a sibling. “It must be fun being twins.”

      “You know, it kind of is,” Maddie said, grinning at Violet.

      Jack dropped his fork with a clunk. “I don’t know what’s fun about it,” he snapped. “I’m not sure I even want to meet my so-called brother.”

      Kendra gasped. She’d give anything to know if she had family somewhere, anyone at all, really, even a great-aunt or second cousin. While little Darcy watched avidly, Violet and Maddie exchanged troubled looks. Ty stilled as if waiting for Jack to say more, but he did not look up from his plate. After a moment, Jack picked up his fork again and started to eat. The rest of the meal passed in silence.

      Kendra found that her appetite had fled with his words. She wondered what she’d walked into here—an ill mother, twins who had never met... She found it all very confusing.

      Jack excused himself and left the table without so much as a glance in Kendra’s direction. She worried that he might be angry with her. Perhaps they all were. She looked to Violet, on the verge of an apology, but the other woman beat her to it.

      “I’m sorry, Kendra. Don’t mind Jack. He’s got a lot on his mind right now.”

      “We all do,” Maddie added.

      “You see,” Violet went on, “Jack and I didn’t even know until a couple months ago that Maddie, Grayson and our other brother Carter existed.”

      Kendra switched her shocked gaze back and forth between Violet and Maddie. “How...?” She bit off the question, fearing that to voice it would be rude.

      “We don’t know,” Maddie said flatly.

      “And until our mother wakes up...” Violet began.

      “Or we find our father,” Maddie supplied.

      “We won’t know why they split the family and raised us apart,” Violet finished.

      Kendra shook her head, overwhelmed. “That’s...that’s...” She swallowed the word awful, a question occurring. “You said, until your mother wakes up?”

      Violet’s whole countenance fell. “Mom’s in a coma,” she whispered. “She fell off her horse.”

      “Oh, wow,” Kendra said, impulsively clasping Violet’s hand with hers. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know....”

      “No reason why you should,” Violet told her, squeezing her hand.

      Kendra took her hand back, exclaiming, “I shouldn’t be here! You have enough troubles without me bringing mine into the mix.”

      Both Maddie and Violet rushed to reassure her.

      “No, no,” Violet said. “It’s no bother.”

      “It might even be a good thing,” Maddie said at the same time. Ty cleared his throat, and she instantly subsided. Kendra could only wonder what that might be about, but she had no time to ponder the matter as Violet suddenly rose.

      “You must be tired,” she said, “after everything you’ve been through. Let me show you to your room.”

      “I’d like to help clean up first,” Kendra insisted, aware that she really had no choice but to stay the night here at least.

      Violet waved that away. “Lupita will have cleaned up everything but what you see here.”

      “Ty and I will clear the table and load these things into the dishwasher,” Maddie volunteered. Ty lifted an eyebrow but said not a word. He was certainly a quiet type, good-looking, too, almost as good-looking as Jack.

      Kendra got up. Suddenly exhausted, she felt herself sway. Violet instantly reached out.

      “You poor thing! You haven’t recovered at all.”

      “I’m fine,” Kendra said with a wan smile, “just a little tired is all.” Straightening, she lifted her chin and took a deep breath.

      “You come on with me now,” Violet instructed, taking Kendra by the arm.

      “Do you have any things to be brought in?” Maddie asked, looking to Ty.

      “I left a bag of toiletries in Jack’s truck,” Kendra said, just then remembering. “Other than that, I only have what I’m wearing.”

      “I’ll run out and get the bag,” Maddie told her, hurrying away from the table. “Then I have some things you can borrow.”

      “We’ll

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