so much fun when Abby was little. Donovan used to make Santa tracks from the fireplace to the tree by pouring salt around his shoes. We told Abby it was snow. Then the year came when she asked why the snow didn’t melt. Bobby stopped believing in Santa several years back. He’s growing up, too. He’s been making presents like crazy all week. He’s kind of like Donovan and waits till the last minute. Did Abby say anything to you about what she might want for Christmas?”
“Not a word, but knowing her, if all you gave her was a card, she’d be happy. She isn’t a material person as I’m sure you know.”
“She never was. Now, her sister—Unbelievably so. And as for Bobby—He always liked the box better than the gift. The bigger the box, the better he liked it. We bought him a tenspeed bike. Donovan put it together last night. If I tell you what we got Abby, will you keep it a secret?”
“Absolutely,” Bunny said solemnly.
“A car. Well, it isn’t a car, it’s a four-by-four. One of those all-terrain vehicles. Donovan had such a good time picking it out. He’s even hired someone to drive it to Wisconsin so it will be there when Abby gets back.”
“Oh, she’s going to love it. It’s such a pain hitching rides.”
“I know. I’m not so old that I’ve forgotten. Oh, here comes Donovan.”
Donovan looked hopeful as he walked toward them. “Let’s get ourselves a soft drink and go outside, ladies. It’s stifling in here, and there’s nothing we can do.” He checked his watch. “We’re looking at three hours for the procedure and another hour until Abby is ready to leave. We could go into town and have lunch. What do you think?”
Carol looked at Bunny and Bunny looked at Donovan. “Whatever you two want to do is okay with me. You could drop me off at the house, and I can stay with Bobby.”
“Bobby doesn’t get out of school until three, and then he’s going home with a friend who is having a sleepover. This has all been planned for months. Yes, Donovan, lunch in town will do nicely. Abby was okay?”
“Abby’s fine. Perhaps fine isn’t exactly the right word. Jittery.”
“Is she scared, Donovan?”
“I don’t think so. If she asked once, she asked ten times how long before she healed. She didn’t like the doctor’s answer of ‘depends on the individual.’ She’s in a hell of a hurry to get back to school, that’s for sure. You’d think there was some guy waiting for her.”
Carol reached into her purse for her cigarettes. “There is, Donovan. He called this morning after you left.”
“You mean Abby has a boyfriend? I’ll be damned! That’s great. We need to check him out, Carol.”
“Mr. Mitchell,” Bunny said, “Connor Bradford is sterling. They don’t come any better than him. He likes Abby and isn’t put off by her birthmark. He’s a dedicated student and takes life seriously. He’s the kind of guy you and Mrs. Mitchell would pick for Abby.”
Carol bristled. There it was again—the assumption.
“Okay,” Donovan said, “we’ll go with your testimonial. Abby with a boyfriend. Are we happy with this, Carol?”
Carol proffered a big smile. “Of course we’re happy. Why wouldn’t we be?” Before he could answer, she said, “How about picking me up in front? I want to use the pay phone and check my messages at home.”
“Okay, meet you at the car. Come on, Bunny. All this worry is giving me a huge appetite.”
As soon as Donovan and Bunny were out of sight, Carol let out a long sigh. She’d known the day would come when Abby would get herself a boyfriend. She’d known it and dreaded it because of the changes that would inevitably follow.
All these years, Abby had come to her with her problems, and she had solved them, or at least made them better. In the beginning, the biggest problem had been Mallory. How many times, Carol wondered, had she punished Mallory on Abby’s behalf? Then there were the problems Abby encountered at school.
“Not a word, but knowing her, if all you gave her was a card, she’d be happy. She isn’t a material person as I’m sure you know.”
“She never was. Now, her sister—Unbelievably so. And as for Bobby—He always liked the box better than the gift. The bigger the box, the better he liked it. We bought him a tenspeed bike. Donovan put it together last night. If I tell you what we got Abby, will you keep it a secret?”
“Absolutely,” Bunny said solemnly.
“A car. Well, it isn’t a car, it’s a four-by-four. One of those all-terrain vehicles. Donovan had such a good time picking it out. He’s even hired someone to drive it to Wisconsin so it will be there when Abby gets back.”
“Oh, she’s going to love it. It’s such a pain hitching rides.”
“I know. I’m not so old that I’ve forgotten. Oh, here comes Donovan.”
Donovan looked hopeful as he walked toward them. “Let’s get ourselves a soft drink and go outside, ladies. It’s stifling in here, and there’s nothing we can do.” He checked his watch. “We’re looking at three hours for the procedure and another hour until Abby is ready to leave. We could go into town and have lunch. What do you think?”
Carol looked at Bunny and Bunny looked at Donovan. “Whatever you two want to do is okay with me. You could drop me off at the house, and I can stay with Bobby.”
“Bobby doesn’t get out of school until three, and then he’s going home with a friend who is having a sleepover. This has all been planned for months. Yes, Donovan, lunch in town will do nicely. Abby was okay?”
“Abby’s fine. Perhaps fine isn’t exactly the right word. Jittery.”
“Is she scared, Donovan?”
“I don’t think so. If she asked once, she asked ten times how long before she healed. She didn’t like the doctor’s answer of ‘depends on the individual.’ She’s in a hell of a hurry to get back to school, that’s for sure. You’d think there was some guy waiting for her.”
Carol reached into her purse for her cigarettes. “There is, Donovan. He called this morning after you left.”
“You mean Abby has a boyfriend? I’ll be damned! That’s great. We need to check him out, Carol.”
“Mr. Mitchell,” Bunny said, “Connor Bradford is sterling. They don’t come any better than him. He likes Abby and isn’t put off by her birthmark. He’s a dedicated student and takes life seriously. He’s the kind of guy you and Mrs. Mitchell would pick for Abby.”
Carol bristled. There it was again—the assumption.
“Okay,” Donovan said, “we’ll go with your testimonial. Abby with a boyfriend. Are we happy with this, Carol?”
Carol proffered a big smile. “Of course we’re happy. Why wouldn’t we be?” Before he could answer, she said, “How about picking me up in front? I want to use the pay phone and check my messages at home.”
“Okay, meet you at the car. Come on, Bunny. All this worry is giving me a huge appetite.”
As soon as Donovan and Bunny were out of sight, Carol let out a long sigh. She’d known the day would come when Abby would get herself a boyfriend. She’d known it and dreaded it because of the changes that would inevitably follow.
All these years, Abby had come to her with her problems, and she had solved them, or at least made them better. In the beginning, the biggest problem had been Mallory. How many times, Carol wondered, had she punished Mallory on Abby’s behalf? Then there were the problems Abby encountered at school.
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