Wind Chime Point - Sherryl Woods

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are you up to?” Cora Jane asked, studying her intently.

      Gabi glanced up at her. “You heard?”

      “Enough to know that you’ve reached out to your father,” Cora Jane confirmed.

      “I’m hoping Dad will dig deep into that heart we all suspect him of having and maybe give a helping hand to a kid who needs it,” she said.

      Cora Jane regarded her worriedly. “Oh, honey bun, are you sure about this? Are you really ready to see your father right now?”

      Gabi knew what she was really asking’was Gabi ready for her father to realize she was pregnant and start making judgments. “It’s not about me,” she said. “That kid deserves a break, and I think I know a way to make it happen. Dad’s company gives some scholarships for qualified kids. They start taking applications around this time of the year. Usually the applicants are high school seniors, but I think under the circumstances I can convince him to make an exception for Jimmy. Dad has the ability to make this happen for that boy.”

      Cora Jane shook her head. “You’ve always been an optimist where your dad’s concerned. You’ve seen the good in him, even when he’s done his best to hide it from all of you.”

      Gabi shrugged. “I’m not sure if I’ve even had a glimpse of it,” she admitted. “But he is your son, Grandmother. Nobody raised by Cora Jane Castle could possibly be all bad.”

      Cara Jane chuckled at that. “You may be giving me too much credit.”

      “I guess we’ll see on Saturday, won’t we?”

      And at the same time, she’d be able to face the risk that her father would turn his back on her for the mess she’d made of her life. At least by forcing the issue here and now, she’d be surrounded by people who loved her and didn’t judge her.

      If Sam Castle disowned her for making a mistake, well, it would only sever a tie that had never been very strong to begin with. Maybe it was time she knew once and for all if she could ever forge a real relationship with her father, or if she, like her sisters, was destined to have him on the fringe of her life forever.

      5

      “Dad’s coming over on Saturday?” Emily repeated skeptically. “You called him and he actually said he’d come?”

      Gabi shrugged. “He said he would. I told him you were here and we were making wedding plans.”

      “And that was enough to drag him out of his office? I don’t believe it,” Emily said flatly. “So, what? Am I supposed to ask for his opinion on the flowers?”

      Gabi exchanged a look with Samantha, then chuckled. “Maybe you should ask him to pay for the wedding,” Gabi suggested. “After all, he is the father of the bride. That would be the traditional thing to do.”

      Emily’s jaw dropped. “You think I should ask Dad to pay for the wedding? Seriously?”

      “Why not?” Samantha said. “He’s lucked out so far. Three daughters and this is the first wedding to come along. Gabi and I have saved him a fortune.”

      An expression of wicked delight passed across Emily’s face. “It would serve him right, wouldn’t it?” she said, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “Boone and I intended to pay for everything ourselves, but it would be worth it to see the look on Dad’s face when I hand him the bills for the dresses and the flowers and the caterer. Do you suppose he even knows how to write a check? Mom always paid the bills.”

      “Stop it,” Gabi scolded. “Somebody’s been paying them since Mom died. Dad’s not incompetent, just distracted.”

      “He’s so distracted, it’s a miracle he’s not been living on the street, if you ask me,” Emily retorted. “I guess that scary, efficient assistant of his stepped up after Mom died. What’s her name? I always called her the guardian of the gate.”

      “Her name is Miriam and she’s actually very nice,” Gabi said, thinking how often it had been Miriam, not her father, who’d been there to take the sting out of some slight at school. “And she probably did step in to make sure Dad’s life continued to run smoothly after Mom died.”

      “I always wondered if there was something more between them,” Samantha said.

      Gabi frowned at the suggestion. “While Mom was alive? No way. Dad could barely spare enough attention for his wife and kids. He didn’t have time for another woman. Besides, Miriam must be close to seventy by now, so she’s at least ten years older than Dad.”

      “But he did spend an awful lot of time at the office,” Emily countered.

      “Okay, enough,” Gabi said impatiently. “Dad has his issues, but infidelity isn’t one of them. I’m as sure of that as I am that the sun will come up tomorrow. You seem to forget that rigid moral code of his.”

      “Ah,” Samantha said, her expression turning worried. “You mean the one that’s going to find your situation intolerable?”

      Gabi nodded. “That’s the one.”

      Emily seemed to share Samantha’s concern. “Gabi, why are you forcing this now? Samantha said you weren’t willing to turn to Dad for help in finding a new job because you didn’t want him to know about the pregnancy. What changed?”

      She explained about Jimmy Templeton. “I saw a chance to help.”

      Emily’s eyes brightened. “And a way to impress Wade,” she concluded.

      Gabi frowned at the suggestion. “This has absolutely nothing to do with Wade. He introduced me to the boy, that’s all.”

      “And is he, by any chance, going to be bringing him by here to meet Dad?” Samantha inquired, her own smirk firmly in place.

      Gabi uttered an expletive. “I need to call Wade, don’t I? I was so busy worrying about getting Dad over here, I completely forgot about arranging for Jimmy to be here.”

      “Notice she’s going to call Wade, rather than call Jimmy directly,” Emily commented smugly.

      “I notice,” Sam agreed.

      “You two are so annoying,” Gabi muttered. “If you weren’t my sisters, I doubt I’d have a thing to do with you.”

      “Sweetie, are you really sure you want to insult the two people who will be here to have your back when Dad shows up?” Emily inquired.

      “Point taken,” Gabi said at once. “Do you think I should have Jimmy here when Dad walks in the door or later?”

      “Definitely later,” Samantha said.

      “But he might not say anything about me being pregnant with Jimmy and Wade here,” Gabi said hopefully.

      “Or he’ll explode, and the prospects for Jimmy will get buried in the fallout,” Emily said. “I vote for later, too.”

      Gabi could see what her sisters were saying. “I’m guessing Dad will get an early start and be here by ten. I’ll suggest Wade and Jimmy come for lunch around twelve-thirty,” she decided.

      Emily nodded. “After delivering your news and my wedding bills, we should have Dad revived by then, for sure.”

      Gabi frowned at her. “Not amusing.”

      Samantha laughed. “But sadly, probably accurate.”

      * * *

      Wade listened with growing amazement as Gabi issued her invitation to lunch and explained the reasoning behind it.

      “Are you serious? You think your dad could get Jimmy a scholarship?” he asked.

      “The company offers a few every year. I’m familiar with the criteria. Granted, I don’t know everything about Jimmy’s situation, but he seems to me like the perfect candidate.”

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