climbed the stairs just how exhausted she was. She had slept fitfully at the hospital but that clearly had not been enough. As she dragged herself into her room she looked longingly at the bed. The truth was, though, they probably had just over an hour before family descended on them and they should be ready.
“I just want to sleep,” she heard Geanie groan from the doorway next door.
“I hear you,” Cindy muttered.
Still, forty-five minutes later she felt better as she headed back downstairs after having showered and changed into clean clothes. She had just reached the foyer when the front door flew open and a tall man with intense green eyes burst inside.
9
Cindy let out a little scream which appeared to startle the man even more than he had startled her. Behind her she heard running footsteps on the stairs.
“Dad!” Geanie shouted as she ran past Cindy and flung her arms around the man standing just inside the door. He hugged her back, lifting her off the ground.
When he put her down they both stepped further inside and allowed two others to come through the door. Geanie hugged first her mom then her cousin.
“How was your trip?” Geanie asked.
“Good. Plane actually landed early. I must say we were a bit surprised to get a police escort,” her father said with raised eyebrows.
“Let’s get you settled and then I’ll tell you all about it,” Geanie said. She turned to Cindy, “This is my Maid of Honor, Cindy. Cindy, my family.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Geanie’s father said while the other two bobbed their heads up and down.
Cindy smiled and helped pick up some of the luggage that was piled on the porch.
“Okay, your rooms are on the second floor,” Geanie said, leading the way up the stairs.
“It really is a big place,” her mom commented, voice neutral. Cindy couldn’t tell if the woman was impressed or not. It was hard to imagine she wouldn’t be. The house was magnificent.
“Isn’t Joseph here to greet us?” her father asked.
“He’s...indisposed at the moment, but he can’t wait to meet you,” Geanie said a bit haltingly.
Cindy bit her lip. Geanie clearly had not shared any of the most recent events with her family. She was also somewhat surprised that Joseph hadn’t met her parents before this. That seemed a bit odd to her. It wasn’t like they couldn’t have afforded to fly them out or go back to meet them. She’d have to ask Geanie about it later.
They reached the landing and instead of turning right like Cindy was used to, they turned left. They were soon in another dark wood paneled corridor that seemed a mirror image of the one on the other side.
The first door they came to Geanie opened and gave everyone a peek inside. “This is a guest office you guys can use if you need to do anything with computers, faxes, anything like that.”
“Who has a guest office?” her mom muttered.
“A week from today I do,” Geanie said brightly.
She closed the door and continued on.
“I thought we were going to be staying at your house,” her cousin piped up.
“Yes, there was a last minute change of plans. That’s part of that whole long story I have to tell you,” Geanie said.
“It’s much nicer here anyway,” Cindy said, trying to be helpful. “There’s a lot more room and everyone can have their own space, even their own bathroom.”
Geanie opened the second door. “Mom, Dad, this is the room you’ll be staying in.”
They all piled into the room and began setting down luggage. The room was decorated with beautiful Victorian antiques. It was light and airy with huge windows that looked out at the trees. Cindy secretly suspected that Joseph must have given the best guest room to his soon to be in-laws. It would have seemed like a smart move, but Geanie’s mother didn’t seem to be all that approving.
“Okay, and just across the hall we have Charlotte’s room,” Geanie said.
She exited into the hall and walked across, leading everyone into
“I just want to sleep,” she heard Geanie groan from the doorway next door.
“I hear you,” Cindy muttered.
Still, forty-five minutes later she felt better as she headed back downstairs after having showered and changed into clean clothes. She had just reached the foyer when the front door flew open and a tall man with intense green eyes burst inside.
9
Cindy let out a little scream which appeared to startle the man even more than he had startled her. Behind her she heard running footsteps on the stairs.
“Dad!” Geanie shouted as she ran past Cindy and flung her arms around the man standing just inside the door. He hugged her back, lifting her off the ground.
When he put her down they both stepped further inside and allowed two others to come through the door. Geanie hugged first her mom then her cousin.
“How was your trip?” Geanie asked.
“Good. Plane actually landed early. I must say we were a bit surprised to get a police escort,” her father said with raised eyebrows.
“Let’s get you settled and then I’ll tell you all about it,” Geanie said. She turned to Cindy, “This is my Maid of Honor, Cindy. Cindy, my family.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Geanie’s father said while the other two bobbed their heads up and down.
Cindy smiled and helped pick up some of the luggage that was piled on the porch.
“Okay, your rooms are on the second floor,” Geanie said, leading the way up the stairs.
“It really is a big place,” her mom commented, voice neutral. Cindy couldn’t tell if the woman was impressed or not. It was hard to imagine she wouldn’t be. The house was magnificent.
“Isn’t Joseph here to greet us?” her father asked.
“He’s...indisposed at the moment, but he can’t wait to meet you,” Geanie said a bit haltingly.
Cindy bit her lip. Geanie clearly had not shared any of the most recent events with her family. She was also somewhat surprised that Joseph hadn’t met her parents before this. That seemed a bit odd to her. It wasn’t like they couldn’t have afforded to fly them out or go back to meet them. She’d have to ask Geanie about it later.
They reached the landing and instead of turning right like Cindy was used to, they turned left. They were soon in another dark wood paneled corridor that seemed a mirror image of the one on the other side.
The first door they came to Geanie opened and gave everyone a peek inside. “This is a guest office you guys can use if you need to do anything with computers, faxes, anything like that.”
“Who has a guest office?” her mom muttered.
“A week from today I do,” Geanie said brightly.
She closed the door and continued on.
“I thought we were going to be staying at your house,” her cousin piped up.
“Yes, there was a last minute change of plans. That’s part of that whole long story I have to tell you,” Geanie said.
“It’s much nicer here anyway,” Cindy said, trying to be helpful. “There’s a lot more room and everyone can have their own space, even their own bathroom.”
Geanie opened the second door. “Mom, Dad, this is the room you’ll be staying in.”
They all piled into the room and began setting down luggage. The room was decorated with beautiful Victorian antiques. It was light and airy with huge windows that looked out at the trees. Cindy secretly suspected that Joseph must have given the best guest room to his soon to be in-laws. It would have seemed like a smart move, but Geanie’s mother didn’t seem to be all that approving.
“Okay, and just across the hall we have Charlotte’s room,” Geanie said.
She exited into the hall and walked across, leading everyone into
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