Feels Like Family

“Thanks,” she said. “Maybe you could come by sometime and have a tea party with her. She loved that.” And Karen had gotten a huge kick out of watching the very masculine Erik holding one of Daisy’s delicate, tiny teacups and drinking pretend tea.

“Sure,” he said. “We’ll work it out.”

She hung up and called Tess back, then called the sitter to tell her she wasn’t needed tonight. She’d either have Frances keep an eye on Daisy for a few minutes while she went back to the day-care center to get Mack, or she’d take Daisy with her.

In the meantime, she sank onto the sofa next to the now- sleeping Daisy and closed her eyes. Thank heaven for Tess. Without her pitching in, Karen knew that her job would have been history and there would have been nothing Helen or anyone else could have done to save it. Erik’s fragile patience was obviously at an end. And though Dana Sue owned Sullivan’s, Erik had a lot of clout when it came to decisions about what happened in the kitchen.

Not for the first time, Karen was nearly overwhelmed by just how close to the edge she was living. She had hardly any savings and very little reserve of energy for these constant emergencies. Sometimes when the kids were screaming and she was juggling bills, she wondered just how much longer she could cope without snapping.

Then she glanced over at her sleeping daughter, her long, dark eyelashes a smudge on her pale skin, and the force of her love for Dasiy flowed through her. She would do anything—anything—to protect her babies and give them the kind of loving home and security she herself had never known.

Helen wasn’t one bit surprised when she opened her front door at eight that night and found Maddie and Dana Sue on the doorstep. The only surprise was that it had taken them so long.

“Shouldn’t you be home?” she asked Maddie, then regarded Dana Sue just as inhospitably. “And shouldn’t you be at work?”

“We would both be where we belong, if you hadn’t taken off from the spa in tears this morning,” Maddie said.

“And then landed at Wharton’s with Erik, who was so concerned he dragged you over there for a hot-fudge sundae,” Dana Sue added.

“I see it didn’t take long for that piece of news to make its way around town,” Helen commented sarcastically.

“It didn’t have to travel far,” Dana Sue said. “Erik told me.”

“Really? I’m surprised. He doesn’t seem inclined to talk much about himself,” Helen said.

“In this case, he was talking about you,” Dana Sue retorted. “He thought I should know my friend was upset. When Maddie called and confirmed it and said she was worried, too, we agreed that we needed to come by and check on you.”

“Here I am, not upset,” Helen said. “You can go home now.”

“I don’t think so,” Maddie said, pushing past her. “I need to get off my feet. So does Dana Sue. It’s been a tough night at the restaurant.” Maddie headed for the sofa and sank into its cushions. “I hope you two can drag me up when it’s time to go, but right now this feels heavenly.”

“We’ll manage,” Helen assured her, then studied Dana Sue and saw that she did, indeed, look more frazzled than usual. “What happened at the restaurant tonight?”

“Karen bailed again. Fortunately she was able to get that friend of hers, Tess, to come in, but in some ways that just complicated things.”

Helen’s stomach sank. “How so? Isn’t she any good?”

“She’s great. In fact, I think she’s going to work out just fine, but on-the-job training in the midst of the dinner rush is not exactly ideal. It took more time to explain how we do things than it would have for me or Erik just to do them ourselves.”

Helen regarded her with concern. “But you’re still going to give Karen’s idea a chance to work, right?”

Dana Sue nodded. “I promised we would, didn’t I?”

“I should call Karen and let her know,” Helen said. “I’m sure she’s terrified that you’re fed up with her and her problems.”

“I spoke to her a little while ago to tell her that we’re definitely hiring Tess and that things are okay,” Dana Sue told her. “You’re right. She was relieved.”

“Now let’s get back to you,” Maddie said, reminding Helen that she could be as single-minded as anyone on earth when she needed to be.

“How about something to drink?” Helen said. “Bottled water? Juice? Decaf coffee?”

“You’re not going to distract us,” Dana Sue said, looking amused. “You know us better than that. Maddie filled me in about the whole baby dilemma. Why don’t you get one of the million and one lists you’ve no doubt made and go over it with us? Maybe we can help you sort things out.”

“No,” Helen said flatly. “Maddie was right this morning, when she said this was something I need to work out for myself.”

Both women frowned at her.

“That was then,” Maddie said. “This is now.”

“You were crying,” Dana Sue said. “In public. That is so not like you. Obviously this is too much for you to deal with on your own.”

Helen sighed. “I’m stronger than you think.”

“I would have agreed with that before this morning,” Maddie said.

“Okay, look,” Dana Sue began. “Maddie mentioned that maybe you want more than just a baby. She says you’ve been reexamining your whole life and that you think you might want the whole family thing.”

“So what? You’re going to snap your fingers and get it for me?” Helen retorted, sorry she’d ever opened her big mouth.

“We could,” Dana Sue said. “In fact, if you would just open your eyes and see what’s staring you right in the face, you could have it all.”

Helen sighed. She’d seen this one coming a mile away. “Erik, I assume.”

“Well, of course, Erik,” Dana Sue said. “He’s smart. He’s gorgeous. And he’s hot for you.”

Maddie stared at her with obvious surprise. “Really? How did I miss that?”

“You’ve had other things on your mind,” Dana Sue said to Maddie. “You missed the kiss.”

“What kiss?” Maddie asked, clearly fascinated.

“Long story,” Dana Sue said. “Trust me, though it made me go home and throw myself at Ronnie.”

Helen moaned. “I am not having this conversation with you. And stop matchmaking. Erik and I are friends,” she said, then corrected herself. “Not even friends. We’re acquaintances.”

“Sweetie, if a man kisses you like that, you’re more than acquainted,” Dana Sue replied. “You’re about ten minutes away from falling into bed together.”

“Grace Wharton says Erik is a confirmed bachelor,” Helen countered.

“Nonsense,” Dana Sue said dismissively. “Just because she doesn’t have a line on his social life doesn’t mean he doesn’t have one.”

“If he has one, then what makes you think he has any interest in someone new?” Helen asked. “You can’t have it both ways. I think it would be best if you get over the whole idea of trying to shove Erik and me together. I know that’s why you’ve been coming up with all those excuses to have me pitch in at the restaurant. It’s not because you discovered I have hidden culinary talent.”

Dana Sue’s face was the picture of innocence. “We’ve been swamped every single time you’ve helped out, and you know it.”

“Then how come you never asked Maddie to pitch in? She actually knows how to cook. So does Ronnie, for that matter. You used to ask him.”

“Yes, why haven’t you asked me?” Maddie demanded.