yet to meet the elder
Carsons. Steven had invited her to have dinner with him and his parents
but Anna wasn’t quite ready for that and Steven hadn’t pushed the issue.
One evening they were having dinner
with Julie and Nick at Steven’s house when the subject of the party came up in
conversation. It was now only a few days away and there were still a lot
of things that needed to been done. Anna volunteered to help with the
shopping but so far no one knew what still needed to be purchased.
Victoria had not yet sent a list.
“I don’t know if I should purchase
some decoration or not,” Steven was saying. They were all seated around
Steven’s small dining table. They had just finished a huge meal of
grilled steaks and baked potatoes. The men had cooked so Anna and Julie
agreed to clear the table but were still too full to get started.
“Tori didn’t say anything about
decorations. At least, not to me. What about you, Julie?”
Julie shook her head. “I
wouldn’t worry about it, Steve, I’m sure Tori has thought about it. She
is probably bringing them with her.”
“You’re probably right but maybe
I’ll pick up a few things just in case.”
Julie laughed then rose from the
table and started picking up some plates. Anna joined her and the men
headed into the living room. Anna loved Steven’s house. It was the
perfect size. Not too big, not too small. It was an older home and
had gorgeous hardwood floors. There were three bedrooms at the back of
the house and a huge living room. Steven told her it had actually been
two rooms at one time – a dining room and a living room. He had the
wall separating the two rooms torn out making a beautiful open space he now
used for his living room and den. It was a perfect place to hold a party
for it was big enough to house a large group of people without being too
crowded.
Anna also loved the kitchen.
One reason Steven had no need for a dining room was that the kitchen was large
enough to hold the dining table. It stood in a small area that was
probably a breakfast nook at one time. It now had a large bay window that
looked out over the backyard. A huge weeping willow framed the window.
The rest of the kitchen was plain
but very practical. There was a large sink and Steven had recently
purchased a new stove. The back door let directly out to the yard instead
of the garage, which was to the side of the house. Anna opened the door
to allow the late evening breeze to flow through the room.
Looking out at the night sky, Anna
took a deep breath. She could smell the smoke from the fire that Steven
had used to grill the steaks. Glancing at the barbecue pit, she saw that
the coals were still burning. A shot of fear raced through her.
Turning, she walked quickly back to the sink and filled a pitcher with water
before returning outside to douse the flames.
When she returned to the kitchen,
Julie looked at her in surprise. Knowing she probably overreacted, Anna
smiled at her somewhat embarrassed. Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “I
thought it would be better to put out the fire.”
Julie nodded in agreement.
“You’re probably right. You can’t be too careful. Especially with
as dry as it has been around here lately.”
Anna agreed. Ever since her
father had died in the fire, Anna had been very cautious. Julie didn’t
know this but Anna was glad that she was careful also.
As Anna carried some dishes to the
sink, she noticed that Julie had a grin on her face. “What’s so funny?”
Anna asked.
“Steven,” Julie said
laughing. “He will go out and buy decorations for this party that will
never be used. He can’t seem to understand that Victoria will have every
detail planned out perfectly.”
“So he won’t need the decorations?”
“No, I’m sure he won’t but that’s
Steve. To him, Tori is still a little kid who is always up to
something.” Julie paused briefly to
Carsons. Steven had invited her to have dinner with him and his parents
but Anna wasn’t quite ready for that and Steven hadn’t pushed the issue.
One evening they were having dinner
with Julie and Nick at Steven’s house when the subject of the party came up in
conversation. It was now only a few days away and there were still a lot
of things that needed to been done. Anna volunteered to help with the
shopping but so far no one knew what still needed to be purchased.
Victoria had not yet sent a list.
“I don’t know if I should purchase
some decoration or not,” Steven was saying. They were all seated around
Steven’s small dining table. They had just finished a huge meal of
grilled steaks and baked potatoes. The men had cooked so Anna and Julie
agreed to clear the table but were still too full to get started.
“Tori didn’t say anything about
decorations. At least, not to me. What about you, Julie?”
Julie shook her head. “I
wouldn’t worry about it, Steve, I’m sure Tori has thought about it. She
is probably bringing them with her.”
“You’re probably right but maybe
I’ll pick up a few things just in case.”
Julie laughed then rose from the
table and started picking up some plates. Anna joined her and the men
headed into the living room. Anna loved Steven’s house. It was the
perfect size. Not too big, not too small. It was an older home and
had gorgeous hardwood floors. There were three bedrooms at the back of
the house and a huge living room. Steven told her it had actually been
two rooms at one time – a dining room and a living room. He had the
wall separating the two rooms torn out making a beautiful open space he now
used for his living room and den. It was a perfect place to hold a party
for it was big enough to house a large group of people without being too
crowded.
Anna also loved the kitchen.
One reason Steven had no need for a dining room was that the kitchen was large
enough to hold the dining table. It stood in a small area that was
probably a breakfast nook at one time. It now had a large bay window that
looked out over the backyard. A huge weeping willow framed the window.
The rest of the kitchen was plain
but very practical. There was a large sink and Steven had recently
purchased a new stove. The back door let directly out to the yard instead
of the garage, which was to the side of the house. Anna opened the door
to allow the late evening breeze to flow through the room.
Looking out at the night sky, Anna
took a deep breath. She could smell the smoke from the fire that Steven
had used to grill the steaks. Glancing at the barbecue pit, she saw that
the coals were still burning. A shot of fear raced through her.
Turning, she walked quickly back to the sink and filled a pitcher with water
before returning outside to douse the flames.
When she returned to the kitchen,
Julie looked at her in surprise. Knowing she probably overreacted, Anna
smiled at her somewhat embarrassed. Shrugging her shoulders, she said, “I
thought it would be better to put out the fire.”
Julie nodded in agreement.
“You’re probably right. You can’t be too careful. Especially with
as dry as it has been around here lately.”
Anna agreed. Ever since her
father had died in the fire, Anna had been very cautious. Julie didn’t
know this but Anna was glad that she was careful also.
As Anna carried some dishes to the
sink, she noticed that Julie had a grin on her face. “What’s so funny?”
Anna asked.
“Steven,” Julie said
laughing. “He will go out and buy decorations for this party that will
never be used. He can’t seem to understand that Victoria will have every
detail planned out perfectly.”
“So he won’t need the decorations?”
“No, I’m sure he won’t but that’s
Steve. To him, Tori is still a little kid who is always up to
something.” Julie paused briefly to
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