Feels Like Family

“I think I scared him off,” Helen admitted, vaguely unnerved by how guilty that made her feel. He’d been kind to her and he’d given her an excuse to take a few minutes to gather the composure she’d lost after her conversation earlier with Maddie. What had she done in return? She’d cross-examined him as if he were some kind of criminal.

“A man like that doesn’t scare too easily,” Grace said. “You didn’t mention marriage or something like that, did you? That’s the only thing I can think of that scares a confirmed bachelor.”

“The subject of marriage most definitely did not come up,” Helen assured her. “What makes you think he’s a confirmed bachelor?”

“I’ve seen just about every single woman in town throw themselves at him at one time or another,” Grace said. “He flirts right back, but that’s as far as it ever goes. For a while I thought he might be hung up on Dana Sue, but then Ronnie came back and that put an end to that.”

“Interesting,” Helen murmured. She wondered what Grace would think if she knew about the kiss Erik had laid on her not that long ago. Her lips still burned every time she thought about it. He hadn’t shown any real interest in repeating it, though. If he was a confirmed bachelor, and that kiss had shaken him as badly as it had her, maybe that alone was enough to make him cautious around her, especially when the conversation took a more personal turn.

Before she could pick apart her own theory, her cell phone rang. She snatched it out of her purse.

“You planning to come to work anytime today?” Barb asked wryly. “I have a waiting room filled with clients and they’re getting restless.”

“Oh, my God,” Helen said, glancing at her watch. It was going on ten. “I got sidetracked.”

“By Erik Whitney, if the rumors are true,” Barb said, proving that the Serenity grapevine was faster than the speed of light.

Helen didn’t fall in to her trap. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Make it four,” Barb retorted. “Your nine o’clock looks as if he might start breaking things.”

“On my way,” Helen said.

When she’d turned off the phone and jammed it into her purse, she looked up into Grace’s fascinated gaze. “Never known you to be late for work,” the woman commented. “Must have been something about the company.”

Helen frowned at her amused expression. “Don’t even go there.”

“Can you think of any other reason you’d lose track of time like that?” Grace teased.

“Too much on my mind,” Helen said, “that’s all. Nothing to do with Erik.”

“If you say so,” Grace said, but she sounded skeptical. “Maybe you were hoping he’d kiss you again, the way he did at Sullivan’s a few days ago.”

Helen nearly groaned. So, Grace knew about that, after all. Unfortunately Helen didn’t have time to stick around and debate the subject with her. And what would be the point, anyway? It would only add fuel to the fire. Grace had more than enough fodder for her lunch-hour gossip mill as it was.

“Mommy, I got a tummy ache,” Daisy told Karen when it was time to get out of the car at the day-care center.

She’d picked her up from kindergarten five minutes before and spotted her climbing a jungle gym when she drove up. She regarded her daughter with dismay. “You didn’t look sick when you were playing with your friends on the playground.”

“Because I wasn’t sick then,” she said, clearly exasperated. “I want to go home.”

“You can’t go home. There’s nobody there to take care of you and I have to go to work. I’m working the late shift today.”

Daisy’s lower lip quivered. “But I’m sick,” she wailed. “I can stay with Frances.”

“Frances can’t take care of you all afternoon and evening, Daisy.”

“Please!”

Karen felt her own stomach twist into knots. She’d thought she’d put these crises behind her. She’d found a new day-care center that kept both kids ’til five, and thanks to Helen and Dana Sue, she’d found an excellent sitter to pick them up and watch them until she got home. For a week now things had gone smoothly.

In addition, Dana Sue had interviewed Tess and scheduled an on-the-job evaluation for tomorrow. Karen knew Tess would pass that with flying colors and then Karen’s backup plan could be set in motion.

She reached into the backseat and put a hand to Daisy’s forehead. No fever, thank goodness. “Sweetie, do you have a pain in your tummy? Or do you just feel sick?”

“Sick,” she said miserably, then promptly threw up to prove the point.

Karen wanted to weep. It wasn’t Daisy’s fault. She needed to keep reminding herself of that. Kids picked up a million germs at school, particularly at Daisy’s age. Karen grabbed some tissues and packets of baby wipes, then got out of the car and opened the back door to clean up her daughter.

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” she said with a sniff.

“It’s okay, baby. You can’t help getting sick.” The thought of calling the restaurant to tell Dana Sue and Erik what was going on made her feel sick to her stomach, as well.

“Do I still have to go to day care?” Daisy asked pitifully.

“No, sweetie. I’m going to take you home.”

“And stay with me?”

“Yes, I’ll stay with you.” Maybe she could go to work once the sitter got there, assuming she still had work to go to.

Half an hour later she had Daisy settled on the couch in front of the TV with a glass of ginger ale. She was about to brace herself to face Erik’s reaction, when it struck her there might be another solution. She dialed Tess.

“Tess, I know you’re not supposed to have your on-the-job evaluation ’til tomorrow, but I’ve got a problem,” she explained. “Daisy just threw up in the car. The sitter’s not due for three hours. Is there any chance at all you could work today, if Dana Sue agrees?”

“Hold on and let me check with my mom. She came in early from picking vegetables because the heat was bothering her. If she’s up to babysitting, I can do it.”

Within minutes she was back. “It’ll work on my end,” Tess said. “Call me as soon as you’ve spoken to Dana Sue. I’ll get ready in the meantime, just in case. Tell her I can be there in half an hour.”

“Thank you! You’re a lifesaver.” As soon as she’d hung up on Tess, she called the restaurant. Unfortunately it was Erik who answered. “It’s Karen,” she said.

“You’re late,” he said, obviously exasperated.

“I know. I was running right on time, but then Daisy got sick. I had to bring her home.”

“Then you’re on your way?”

“Actually I need to stay here with her,” she admitted.

“Not again,” he said, now sounding beyond annoyed. “Karen, things can’t go on like this. I thought these last- minute absences were going to end.”

“I know. I thought so, too. But it’s not as bad as before. I’ve already spoken to Tess. She can come in for her evaluation right now and take my place. She said she could be there in thirty minutes, if it’s okay with you guys.”

“Fine,” Erik said tightly.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I really am, but at least this proves that my suggestion about having two of us in this job will work.”

“That remains to be seen,” he said, then sighed. “Tell Daisy I hope she feels better. She’s had a tough time lately.”