Cast into Doubt by Patricia MacDonald Page A

upset about the drinking. Rob’s such a straight arrow. But if he said she’d stopped . . .’
    ‘Well, he said she went to AA. You have to be sober to go to those meetings,’ said Shelby, ruminating aloud. ‘But I got the feeling that he didn’t really trust her. Chloe must have known that.’
    ‘You know how Chloe is. She isn’t the most . . . self-confident . . .’
    ‘I know. She gets down on herself . . .’
    They both realized at once that they were talking about Chloe in the present tense.
    ‘I just can’t believe this,’ said Franny miserably. ‘Any of it.’
    The back door of the house slammed and Shelby heard Rob call out, ‘We’re back.’ She heard the sound of Jeremy’s feet thundering up the stairs as he yelled out ‘Shep!’ Jeremy ran into the room, his eyes alight for the first time, it seemed, since they had arrived back. He held up a grimy softball and offered it to her. ‘I caught it, Shep,’ he cried.
    Shelby took the proffered ball. ‘That’s great,’ she said to the beaming child. ‘Franny, Jeremy just got back from the park, and he’s here with me so I’m going to have to go.’
    ‘OK. You’ll let me know if there’s any news? How long are you going to be there with Rob and Jeremy?’
    ‘I’m not sure yet.’
    ‘You’ll let me know if you decide about a service?’
    ‘Of course. I will,’ said Shelby. ‘And thanks.’
    Rob came into the room, looking grimy but cheerful. ‘Jeremy show you the ball he caught?’
    Shelby hung up the phone carefully. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘And I want to hear all about it.’
    ‘Who was that?’ Rob asked.
    ‘A friend,’ she said.
    ‘It was Aunt Franny,’ Jeremy piped up.
    Shelby’s face reddened and Rob raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh really?’ he said coolly. ‘That’s nice. How is Franny?’
    ‘She’s grieving. Of course,’ Shelby snapped, before she could stop herself.
    Jeremy looked warily from his grandmother to his father and back.
    ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled. ‘That was a difficult call.’ Before Rob could reply, Shelby sat down on the sofa and pulled Jeremy up on to the cushion beside her. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘Now, let’s get to the important stuff. I want to hear all about this catch of yours.’
    Later in the afternoon, as Shelby was staring into the refrigerator, trying to figure out what to make for supper, Rob came into the kitchen and announced that he was taking Jeremy, Molly, and Molly’s friend, Sara, to Pizza Hut and the new Disney movie.
    Shelby looked at him in surprise. ‘Really? I wouldn’t think thirteen-year-old girls would be interested in that.’
    ‘Actually,’ said Rob, ‘they wanted to see the new teen vampire movie, but I wanted to include Jeremy. When I called Molly to explain the problem, she was the one who suggested the Disney movie. She still loves her animation.’
    ‘That was thoughtful of her,’ Shelby said.
    ‘She’s a good kid,’ said Rob. ‘And she adores her brother. Chloe never understood that.’
    ‘What does that mean?’ Shelby asked.
    ‘Nothing,’ said Rob defensively. ‘She just couldn’t seem to grasp that they were brother and sister. I mean Jeremy was hers, and Molly . . . just didn’t belong in the picture.’
    Shelby felt stung by his complaint. How can you speak ill of Chloe, she wanted to say? Is that really all you can remember about her? ‘It’s not easy to become a stepparent.’
    ‘I don’t mean it as a criticism,’ Rob said stubbornly. ‘That’s just the way it was. I just kept hoping she would adjust.’
    Shelby was not placated, but she kept her thoughts to herself as she helped Jeremy to get ready. Rob asked her politely if she wanted to come along, but Shelby insisted that she would enjoy an evening to herself. She waved goodbye at the door, trying to smile as they pulled away. But once they were gone, she turned back to the house with a feeling of despair. Alone in the house with Chloe’s quilts and her magnetized