CHAPTER FIVE 

It was a chilly, early November day and, for Nora, it had been a stressful one. She exhaled loudly as she opened a can of green beans to go with supper. Replaying in her mind was the conversation she had with Rachel earlier in the day. Rachel cried and asked to borrow money because her daddy refused to give her anymore. Nora’s patience was already wearing thin when Rachel hit her with an unexpected bombshell…she and Wally had just learned they were expecting a baby.

It seemed like one of those days when everything that could go wrong inevitably would. While rushing through the Country Stop to grab a few sides to go with supper, Nora’s purse bumped into one of the shelves and broken a jar of jelly. Then, getting in the car to leave, she managed to rip a button off of her favorite shirt.

Emily needed new tennis shoes for school, and Jessica kept begging for Apple Bottom jeans, though Nora had never heard of such. Grant and Hailey had been sneaking around all day; both were entirely too giddy, and Nora had her suspicions about the secret they were hiding.

Granny had called several times that day. The first time she called was question whether Nora had left out any ingredients in the meatloaf she had brought over the night before because it just didn’t taste quite right. Nora, irritated, assured her that she had followed the recipe precisely down to the pinch of this and dab of that! The next time Granny called, she acknowledged that once she doctored the meatloaf up a bit, she was able to salvage a good lunch out of it! The next call was to inquire about plans for a family Thanksgiving, a subject that, given Granny’s outspoken disapproval of Nora’s culinary abilities and her current living situation, she had no interest in discussing.

Melissa was supposed to call after Leah’s appointment with her neurologist, and, despite the fact that it was getting late in the evening, Nora had not heard from her yet. Not being able to see her granddaughter on a regular basis was catching up with Nora, and that, more than anything else, had her feeling a little homesick.

Then, there was the real reason she felt so frazzled that evening. She had made the obligatory call to Randy to discuss the latest development with Rachel’s situation, only to have their conversation take a sudden U-turn, veering at breakneck speed toward a topic she was not prepared to discuss.

Nora glanced at the oven, praying she wouldn’t burn the toast.

Jack walked in the back door, looking ruggedly handsome in his jeans and red, plaid, flannel shirt. “It’s finally getting chilly out there,” he said chipperly, rubbing his hands together and hanging his coat on the rack. “They still predict another week or so of weather too warm for this time of year.”

“Supper is almost ready; why don’t you round up the kids?” Nora replied.

“It smells good,” Jack said as he wrapped his arms around Nora and eyed the pot on the stove. “I might not have said this enough, but thank you so much for all you do around here. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Jack,” Nora sighed, nudging him away. “What if one of the kids was to walk in?”

Jack backed away. “Are you okay?” he asked, leaning on the counter.

“Yes,” Nora shook her head, “just tell the children to get washed up for dinner.”

“It’s the Rachel thing, isn’t it?” Jack nodded.

Nora sighed. “Back when my kids were growing up, I had this crazy idea that when I started having grandchildren, I would spoil them rotten and send them home to their parents. I don’t like being away from Leah. Joanna has no interest whatsoever in ever giving me grandkids! Rachel has two…one, I have raised willingly and another on the way that I’m sure I’ll end up with too because Rachel and Wally are nowhere near ready to take on the responsibility of raising a baby. I am praying hard over that situation.”

“Dad!” Jessica screeched, her hollering echoing through the house.

“What is it?” Jack called back. He watched Grant and Hailey as Grant walked into the kitchen with Hailey catching a ride on his back. “What’s the matter with Jessica?” he asked them.

Hailey shrugged, and Jack couldn’t help but smile at her in her baggy, orange, pajama pants and her matching University of Tennessee sweatshirt, looking happy as could be.

“Is supper almost ready?” Grant asked, lifting the lid off a pot on the stove.

“Yes, Son,” Nora grumbled, swatting him away.

Emily hurried into the kitchen, books in hand. “Mom, what are we having for supper?” she asked. “I’m starving, and Jessica promised Mary Ann and Sarah Beth they could come over after supper and study for the test we have tomorrow.”

“Spaghetti,” Nora answered as she reached into a cabinet for plates.

“Spaghetti?” Emily grumbled, walking off. “What am I supposed to eat?”

Jack noticed Nora’s tired expression but didn’t say anything.

“Dad! Please come here!” Jessica called insistently.

“Hailey, will you please go see what your sister keeps hollering about?” Jack urged.

Hailey playfully kicked the side of her foot against Grant’s leg. “Giddy up,” she giggled, and, when Grant took off running, she screamed shrilly.

“Nora, can I do something to help you?” Jack asked sincerely. Then he sniffed the air as the smell of burning toast filled the room.

“Oh no,” Nora sighed as she hung her head. “I knew that was gonna happen!”

Jack grabbed a potholder. “I’ve got it,” he insisted. He took the toast out of the oven and fanned the smoke.

“Is the house on fire, or is Mom making toast?” Grant called from the hallway.

“Everything is fine,” Jack called as he dumped the pan of smoldering toast into the trashcan.

Nora sank down into a kitchen chair. “I used to think of myself as a good mother…”

“Nora, you’re a terrific mother,” Jack countered, sitting down next to her and patting her hand reassuringly.

Nora shook her head, unconvinced. “David doesn’t like nuts in his brownies, but the other kids do, so, when I make brownies, I always make two batches,” she began, and Jack was unsure exactly where she was headed with this revelation. “All kids have their little particulars, their likes and dislikes that mamas are programmed to remember. Ike liked ketchup on everything, to the extent that I was convinced I was a horrendous chef, and he was just trying his best to make do. Granny would probably argue that was the case! Joanna wouldn’t eat a fresh tomato if her life depended on it; she practically gags at the sight of them. Rachel hates pepperonis, pickles and parmesan cheese. Grant thinks that store-bought, vanilla Zingers are a food group of their own,” Nora rolled her eyes. “Buy him the chocolate ones, and he will look at you like his puppy just died. Try to convince him the cake that you made from scratch and spent hours slaving over in the kitchen is tastier than one of those prized, little snack cakes, and, he will leave you believing that Zingers reign supreme as king of the cake world.” She laughed at herself. “And Emily,” she nodded. “Emily hates spaghetti…always has…always…even as a baby when I would cut it up and put it on the tray of her highchair! But that never crossed my mind today!”

“Nora, forgetting that doesn’t make you a bad mother,” Jack shook his head.

“It does,” Nora nodded as she stood. She walked over and began stirring the spaghetti sauce. “And ripping my kids out of school and moving them down here to start over again makes me a bad mother too…doesn’t it?”

“I think you were put in a tough situation,” Jack replied.

“I worry about Grant,” Nora frowned.

“He seems fine to me,” Jack replied. “I’m more worried about Grant’s mom.”

“Grant has always been such a challenging child to deal with,” Nora sighed.

“The kid has never had anything in his life that resembles stability, so what do you expect?” Jack blurted, since it was obvious Nora wasn’t ready to talk about herself.

“And I suppose that is my fault?” Nora said defensively.

Jack reached for Nora’s hand. “I know you didn’t want to move around like you did,” he said. “I know you, Nora Jean…you’re a small town, country girl who would have been content to spend her life right here in Hope Hull.”

“I did the best I could with Grant,” Nora shook her head.

“This isn’t just about Grant,” Jack declared. “This is about Grant needing and wanting a relationship with his father that he doesn’t have…”

“Jack, please don’t,” Nora shook her head.

“Randy should have already been to see one of Grant’s basketball games,” Jack insisted.

Nora rushed to Randy’s defense. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she argued. “Randy is involved in a lot of things, but he loves Grant. Jack, I could have stayed at our house in North Carolina and raised all my children right there; they never would have had to move. Randy would have traveled and done what he needed to do and checked in when he could, but that’s not what he wanted…and it’s not what I wanted either. Randy always wanted me and the kids to be with him when we could. We’re a family, and we did the best we could by our children. You know…it’s men like Randy Cohen that make it possible for the rest of you to live safe and settled lives back home.”

Jack was quiet.

“I’m sorry,” Nora gulped.

“It’s okay,” Jack shook his head. “Randy has served this country well. I respect his dedication to his job; I just wish he had shown you the respect you deserve.”

“He called today,” Nora said after a moment. “Well,” she corrected, “I called him first to talk about Rachel…but he called back later…and we talked some more.”

Jack only nodded. This, he realized, was the reason Nora had been on edge all evening.

“He doesn’t want to go through with the divorce; he says he won’t sign the papers,” Nora added.

“And what about you?” Jack asked slowly. “Do you want the divorce?”

“He is the father of my children, Jack,” Nora sighed.

“But do you love him?” Jack asked slowly.

Nora’s mind drifted back to her first date with her future husband. He had spent an hour and a half talking about West Point graduates: Eisenhower, Westmoreland, Sherman, Grant, McClellan and Patton. Nora hadn’t known quite what to make of his obsession with the military; she hadn’t known a single thing about West Point or Dwight D. Eisenhower before their date, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to remember any of the facts he had shared with her after they left, but Randy’s passion had intrigued her, and she knew, without a doubt, that she wanted to go out with Randy Cohen again. He wasn’t the romantic type, but he was a perfect gentleman; he could be harsh toward others, but he doted on her; they couldn’t have been more different, nor could they have been any more perfect for one another. Even today, though she could easily point out his many faults, she remembered all the good times. She thought too of the hard times and how they had gotten through them together. She thought about how deeply she had missed him when he was away at war. She remembered how she had prayed for his safe return each time he left, how she had snuggled tight to their children at night and, on many occasions, once they had drifted off, cried herself to sleep.

“Nora,” Jack asked again, “do you love him?”

“Yes,” Nora nodded. “But I can’t go back to him.” She thought about what he had done, and it turned her stomach. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by his betrayal and angry at herself because she still had feelings for him.

Jack thought about how to respond, but, unsure of what to say, he offered to make more toast instead.

“Mama has it in her mind that we should all plan to spend Thanksgiving at her house this year,” Nora said, helping Jack butter the toast. “I just don’t see me calling Randy and the kids…”

“If you’re worried about how Randy will react to me…the girls and I can hang out here for the day,” Jack offered. “I’ve never made Thanksgiving dinner; we usually just go to Maude’s for lunch, and she does turkey and dressing and all the traditional stuff.”

“No,” Nora insisted, “that wouldn’t be fair to our kids. They’ve gotten close, and there is no reason they shouldn’t spend the holiday together just because the adults are too stubborn to work things out. Besides, your girls need to experience a Dottie Miller Thanksgiving extravaganza!”

“Oh, I remember those,” Jack smiled, his mouth watering. “Everything was always delicious…right down to the cranberry sauce.”

“Do you know she is still stingy with that recipe?” Nora gasped.

Jack laughed. “That sounds about like her!”

“I would love for our kids to get to spend Thanksgiving Day together,” Nora nodded.

“The kids do seem to be getting along well,” Jack smiled as he slid the toast into the oven.

“Do you get the feeling there is something going on between my son and your daughter, or is that just me?” Nora gulped.

“I think it’s pretty obvious they’ve gotten close,” Jack shrugged.

“How close?” Nora asked, worried.

“I think they’re good friends…best friends,” Jack smiled.

“Like we used to be?” Nora laughed.

Jack thought about the question, and a grin stretched across his face. “You mean, do I think they’re stealing kisses every chance they get? I think probably so, but I’m also equally positive they would both fiercely deny it.”

“So are you okay with that?” Nora asked cautiously.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” Jack said, more confidently than Nora had expected. “Whether it be here at the house or at basketball practice, I would have to be blind or oblivious not to see that they have an undeniably unique dynamic. Whatever is or isn’t going on behind the scenes, I think they’re both good kids, and I trust my daughter.”

“Saying this might make me sound like a horrible mother,” Nora offered, “but, while I envy your confidence, I’m not sure I trust my son.”

“Having once been a teenage boy myself,” Jack chucked, “I don’t trust him either!” Jack shook his head. “I’m jokin’! I told Grant, and I’ll tell you…I trust him. Hailey has always been just one of the guys, and I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve always preferred it that way. Raising two girls as a single father is not the easiest job in the world, but, for me, dealing with Hailey has always been a breeze as compared to raising Jessica. Hailey and I have always spoken the same language; she isn’t picky about her clothes; she isn’t worried about nails and hair and all that other girly stuff; she has never looked at any boy and seen anything other than a teammate or an opponent on the court.”

“Until maybe now,” Nora gulped.

“Until now,” Jack nodded.

“Listen,” Nora pointed her finger at Jack, but stopped when she realized just how much the gesture made her look like her mother. “Hailey may not be into makeup or nail polish and her name brand of choice may be Nike instead of Calvin Klein, but, even au natural, she is a stunningly beautiful young woman, Jack. You might look at her and see the same little tomboy she’s always been, but you need to open your eyes because, at some point, your little girl grew up.”

“The thought of Hailey dating or having a boyfriend is something that has always been so far off in my mind,” Jack laughed. “With Jess, I have always known there would come a time when I was chasing off boys left and right, but with Hailey…”

Nora rolled her eyes. “Maybe my mother’s intuition is just totally off when it comes to Grant, but I think my son has stars in his eyes…”

“We were young once, and I know I certainly had stars in my eyes when it came to you,” Jack replied.

“Then I broke your heart,” Nora nodded with a frown. “I guess I’m just protective. I don’t want that to happen to either one of them.”

“We can’t let our mistakes or our past dictate the lives of our children,” Jack said dismissively. “Whatever is going on between them might last five minutes, five months or fifty years, but it’s up to them, not us, to figure it out.”

“They’re so different, Jack,” Nora warned. “I’ve spent the past eighteen years learning that my son is cut from a different mold than the rest of us. I never know what to expect from him, and Hailey doesn’t either.”

“It’s hard for me to imagine my daughter having a boyfriend,” Jack shrugged honestly, “and I can say with complete certainly that it’s a guy like Grant who scares me the most… but not for the reasons you’re probably thinking. He scares me most because he’s not the kind of love-struck puppy I want to run off. He’s more of a keeper.”

“Well, I am humbled by your high opinion of him, but he’s always been a little rough around the edges,” Nora laughed.

“I think Grant is going to surprise you one day,” Jack replied confidently. “He might need a little polishing up, but there is a diamond underneath there somewhere.”

“I hope so,” Nora smiled proudly. “I look at him, and I see a kid who has been so incredibly blessed. I mean, I consider Randy and I both to be fairly attractive people, but how we made such a beautiful boy is beyond both of us. He’s handsome and well-spoken. He’s brilliant and charismatic. He’s witty and discerning. I pray everyday that he reaches his full potential. I don’t believe God would have bestowed him with so many incredible gifts had He not intended for him to do great things. Like any Godly mother, I pray for all my children, but I say a special prayer for him because I feel like God entrusted me with a masterpiece. I pray that Grant will always have the courage to reach for the stars; I hope that faith leads him to believe he can achieve great things. I pray he realizes that most of us will never have the opportunities he will have, and I pray he becomes everything I think he is meant to be.”

Jack smiled lovingly at Nora, admiring the person she had always been. “He is blessed to have a mother who prays so faithfully for him and his future.”

“Well, just like I pray for my children, I pray for my marriage,” Nora sighed, “but right now I don’t feel like I’ve gotten a definitive answer about what I’m supposed to do. Would you be horribly angry with me if I invited Randy and my kids to come to Hope Hull for Thanksgiving?”

“Of course not,” Jack answered in his haste to please her. As the words escaped his lips, he imagined what it would be like, after all the years that had passed, to sit across the dinner table from the man who had swept his Nora Jean off her feet and taken her away. Decades had passed, and, though the wound had healed, the scar had never faded. Shaking off the implications of what he had just gotten himself into, he asked, “do you think he’ll come?”

“He’s a proud man, but he loves his kids,” Nora gulped, “so we’ll see what he says.” She smiled knowingly. “Aren’t the holidays supposed to be stressful?”

Echoes of the kids’ bickering began to drift into the kitchen.

“Speaking of stress,” Jack shook his head. “Let me go see what that is all about.” He started out of the kitchen but turned around, sniffing. “Toast!” he cried, dashing toward the oven. As Jack pulled a charred pan of toast from the oven and fanned the air with a dishtowel, he and Nora doubled over with laughter.

Their eyes locking, their laughter faded into appreciative smiles.

“Nora,” Jack said as he reached for her hand. “I just want you to know that you can stay here as long as you want…no expectations attached…I hope you know that.”

“I know you’re getting tired of sleeping on the couch in your own house,” Nora sighed.

Jack started to reply but lost his train of thought when Jessica began hollering again. Rolling his eyes, he turned abruptly to go check on the kids.

“Jessica, go away!” Hailey harped.

“This is not fair!” Jessica lashed out.

“We can’t move it, Jess,” Hailey snapped. “The other doors are too close to the wall, and we keep slamming into the linen closet door! I offered to hang it over the bathroom door, but you and your precious hair think you own that room too.”

“And the Tar Heels score!” Grant exclaimed as he shot a small, black foam ball at the plastic rim hanging over the door of the girls’ bedroom.

“The Tennessee Volunteers are still up by two in what has been a game for the record books, ladies and gentlemen,” Hailey broadcasted.

Jessica was standing at the end of the hall, her arms crossed.

“What is the problem?” Jack shrugged.

“What is this?” Jessica shrugged emphatically as she pointed at the door.

“What is what?” Jack laughed as Hailey and Grant continued to play, laughing as they pushed and shoved to keep the other from scoring.

“That thing,” Jessica pointed. “That flimsy, plastic, neon green, dollar store hoop that is duct taped to my bedroom door.”

“It’s not bothering anyone,” Jack scoffed.

“Yes it is!” Jessica exclaimed. “This is my room, Daddy. If I want to have friends over to study, I don’t need to have to worry about getting home to find this contraption hanging on my door…it’s tacky.”

“Perhaps,” Jack shrugged, “but, Jess, it seems to be keeping Hailey and Grant happy, and, if all it takes to keep them from fussing constantly is this cheap basketball goal and a foam ball, then by all means, it’s staying…”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “I seriously doubt their newfound happiness has much to do with their shared love of basketball,” she mumbled.

“Jess, if the hoop bothers you so badly, we’ll move it,” Grant offered.

Hailey turned on him quickly, and if looks could kill, Grant would have dropped dead that instant. “When did you become Prince Charming?” she blurted.

“I try to be a decent human being when I can,” Grant shrugged.

“Since when?” Hailey laughed.

“Hey! I have my moments!” Grant exclaimed.

Hailey nodded. “Yeah,” she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and stood there tucked under his arm, “I guess you do…few and far between, but you do have your moments.”

Hailey darted through the woods, leaving Grant to chase after her. They were both still wearing their basketball jerseys following Saturday morning’s game. Hailey didn’t know how to describe the sensational feeling that consumed her that day. Sure, they had won their ninth basketball game in a row and were pulling off an undefeated, dream season despite the in-fighting that still plagued their starting lineup. Grant had been the game’s high scorer while Hailey bested her own personal scoring record. Another win solidified their spot as a true threat to take the state title, and that excited the competitor in her.

Things had gotten better for the team off the court as well. Her dad had taken a new approach to coaching, emphasizing team unity at every turn. He made the whole team eat lunch together, and he sat with them, clearing his throat and offering a stern warning any time Grant’s tone became remotely sarcastic. During practice, Jack had gone as far as tying all the kids together like a giant bale of hay, then presenting them with different challenges that forced them to work together. Though Grant’s habit of barking out orders about what each person should do did not settle well at first, it soon became clear to everyone that, while they might not have liked it, Grant was a natural leader, and it was in the best interest of time to listen to his instructions. Another day, Jack blindfolded certain players and gave teammates the responsibility of directing them through activities, and, though, on more than one occasion, he had to lead Grant’s partner by the arm back to the group and insist that they try again, they had finally started working as a team. In order to show that they had truly bonded as loyal and unified teammates, Jack suggested doing trust falls off the bleachers, during which each player would fall backwards into the waiting arms of his fellow players who would act as the only safety net between him and the gym floor. Grant had snickered at the idea and suggested that Jack’s methods were becoming hazardous to his health. When the other boys laughed along with him, Jack knew he had accomplished his goal.

It was undeniable that things on the court were running much more smoothly than anyone had anticipated whenthe rocky season began, yet Hailey knew that the team’s success was not the sole reason she was running through the woods feeling absolutely giddy as Grant called after her.

It was mid-November, her favorite time of year. The day was unseasonably warm, and she knew exactly how she wanted to spend her afternoon and who she wanted to spend it with. Admittedly, it had been a couple weeks since she had spent any of her free time hanging out with her friends, but she wouldn’t have traded the past couple weeks for anything in the world. With every day that passed, she and Grant seemed to be building a more solid foundation for a relationship that she couldn’t imagine her life without. Grant was her teammate, her study buddy, her first kiss, her best friend, and the reason she couldn’t seem to quit smiling that Saturday afternoon. As well as things were going on the court, and, as much as Hailey enjoyed playing basketball with a bunch of boys…now, all her favorite moments were spent with just one boy.

She used to spend Saturday afternoons after a big win sitting next to her teammates at Maude’s, sipping sweet tea from a straw and reliving the fun they had just had. Now, when the game was over and the locker room cleared, the fun had just begun.

Hailey remembered how she used to go to her daddy with everything, but, three days earlier when she had gotten a big splinter in her finger while climbing a rickety fence, it had seemed natural to look to her boyfriend. She was impressed by how unexpectedly nurturing he proved to be, and she was even more shocked by how at ease she had been as he used a needle to remove her splinter. He could be so matter-of-fact, brash and dismissive at times that she feared most people missed out on how sweet he could be. For the time being, it seemed to be their little secret…and that was fine with her.

“Where are you going, Hailey?” Grant laughed as he chased her that day.

“We’re almost there,” Hailey called over her shoulder, as she dodged tree limbs and maneuvered through the brush. She stopped abruptly when she reached the bank of the pond, and Grant put on the brakes right behind her. Hailey stretched out her arms wide and raised her chin to the sun, calling attention to beauty that surrounded them. “Last chance to swim before it gets too cold,” she smiled happily. “It’s not often it hits nearly 80 degrees in Hope Hull in November, so I figured we better enjoy it! There will probably be a bit of snow on the ground before you know it.” Hailey slid her shoes off and kicked them toward the trees; she took off her socks and pulled her jersey over her head, revealing a black, Nike sports bra.

“What are you doing?” Grant gulped, eyeing the mucky water. “You’re not really planning on getting in there, are you?”

“Yeah, I’m going for a swim,” Hailey smiled as she tossed her jersey at Grant, laughing as it landed across his shoulder. “Why don’t you join me?”

As Hailey lowered herself into the muddy water, Grant stood with his mouth opened wide. “Are you crazy?” he practically shouted. “This looks like the set of a bad horror movie. Any minute Swamp Thing could sweep you right under.”

“Lose your shoes and get in,” Hailey rolled her eyes.

Grant slowly eased out of his shoes. “I can’t believe I am about to do this.”

“You mean to tell me with all of the life experiences you have managed to accumulate in your eighteen years, you have never taken a dip in a mud hole out in the middle of the woods?” Hailey laughed.

“To tell you the truth, it’s not really something I have ever aspired to check off my bucket list,” Grant sighed as he pulled off his socks. When he glanced over at Hailey and saw her floating there in the water, the sun shining down on her, he smiled. “But, on second thought, I should really set higher goals.”

“Now you’re talkin’,” Hailey laughed.

Grant stood, looking all around him, taking a mental snap shot of the fall leaves on the ground, the way the sun seemed to shine down between the trees illuminating the pond as a very slight breeze made tiny ripples across the top of the muddy water. He recalled being in northern Spain and having the opportunity to try his hand at fly fishing amidst the very landscape where some of Hemingway’s most glorious works were set. The surrounding mountains were breathtakingly majestic; there was great clarity to the water; the ambiance was harmonious and tranquil. He remembered spending his morning having breakfast at a panadería, followed by mid-morning spent navigating a small stream where, after much coaching, he caught a small trout.

It was a field trip like no other. At lunch he sat on his knees amongst a group of profound old men, in a café, eating bread and cheese with his soup, and being allowed to take a sip of Otto’s robust, red wine. He missed his old tutors more than anyone probably realized. As a young boy, they were his closest friends, his most trusted confidants, and the inspiration that had shaped him into an independent and broadly educated young man who had the world at his fingertips; the memories that he shared with Otto and Ludwig were irreplaceable, and the lessons they taught him were invaluable.

Grant looked up at the clear sky and closed his eyes. He had been places that many people only read about in books, but, as he glanced back down toward the water at Hailey floating along, unhindered by his extended moment of reflection, he started to believe that the greatest memories of his life might be unfolding around him there in a little place that the most well-traveled of his compadres had never heard of. He nodded affirmatively to himself. He had traveled to six continents, visited numerous capitals and seen the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Roman Colosseum and other wonders of the world, but, as he glanced over at a small, wooden sign staked in the ground with sloppily written letters formed of green paint that spelled out LITTLE CREEK POND, he truly believed that one day when he thought back over the most enlightening travels of his life, he would have to leave a spot at the top of his list for Hope Hull, Tennessee.

“What are you thinking?” Hailey asked curiously.

“Oh, nothing,” Grant shook his head. He pulled his jersey over his head and stared reluctantly at the water. As he stepped in, he felt mud squish between his toes. A smile on his face, he maneuvered into waist deep water.

Hailey disappeared under water and popped back up with a handful of slimy mud.

“What are you doing?” Grant shook his head as he backed away from her.

Hailey plastered her hand on Grant’s chest and smeared the mud around with her fingertips.

Grant slowly reached down into the water and came up with a handful of mud, grinning widely all the while.

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret,” Hailey warned him with a wink as she waded into his arms.

Grant laughed as he massaged the mud into her shoulders and down her arms. “I’ve heard that mud wrestling is incredibly therapeutic.”

“Ooh, interesting!” Hailey exclaimed, pecking him on the lips and quickly swimming away. “Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to try that with my next boyfriend!”

Grant splashed her with a giant wave of water, and she giggled as she used both hands to splash him back. They swam and splashed for nearly an hour, laughing and throwing mud.

“Come here, you,” Grant laughed as he popped up from under the water. Hailey squealed as he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her out of the water and screamed as he tossed her back in with a splash.

She removed her ponytail holder and put it around her wrist. She smoothed her wet hair back, her heart racing as she slowly waded back toward Grant.

Grant pulled Hailey close to him, and she draped her arms around his neck. One arm around her waist, he gently stroked the side of her face. “You have no idea what you do to me, Hailey Jane,” he whispered. Hailey closed her eyes as his lips met hers. Grant lifted her out of the water, and Hailey wrapped her legs securely around him. For a moment Hailey pulled her lips away, knowing for the first time in her life what it meant for the power of a kiss to take your breath away. Grant put his hands on her cheeks and drew her back into a long kiss. With Hailey in his arms, their lips never parting, he waded toward the bank. Carrying Hailey as he crawled ashore, Grant eased her onto the grass, his body gently covering hers as he kissed her. With one fluid motion Grant rolled onto his back, propelling Hailey on top of him, her flat tummy pressed against his abs. Hailey could feel the warmth of their bodies pressed together. Grant ran his hands up the back of her thighs and let them rest against her backside. It startled Hailey at first, but she was focused on making sure her tongue responded properly to a kiss she had no experience with but Grant seemed to be an expert at. Even as she kissed him, her mind raced and her heart pounded so hard that she wondered if Grant could feel it.

Minutes later, lying beside Grant, snuggled up to him, his arm around her, their legs intertwined, Hailey was tangled up in a kiss that she did not want to end but knew could not continue.

“Grant, what are we doing?” Hailey asked softly between kisses.

“I don’t know. You tell me,” Grant replied as he met her lips with another kiss.

Hailey’s heart raced, and she moved away, embarrassed. She looked around as though she half-expected to see an audience of finger-wagging elders, all glaring down at her, disappointed in her lack of self-control. She could preach abstinence with the best of them, but, in the moment, saying no wasn’t nearly as easy as she had thought it would be. She had always wondered what could make a self-respecting girl give in to the tempting touch of some boy with just one thing on his mind. Now…she knew. Hailey was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice Grant scoot closer to her. “You okay?” he whispered as he kissed her cheek.

“Yes… No… I don’t know,” Hailey blurted. She stood up and practically ran back into the water, creating a big splash and calling, “we should get home,” as she swam toward the opposite bank.

“Hailey,” Grant sighed as he followed her, but, by the time he caught up to her, she had put on her jersey and was handing him his.

Grant pulled his jersey over his head and reached down for his shoes, irritated.

“Grant?” Hailey said, reaching for his hand before he picked up the shoes. She took his hand in hers and smiled up at him so sweetly that he couldn’t help but smile back. “Please don’t be mad at me; things were just moving way too fast for me.”

Grant lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I’m not mad at you. Are you mad at me?”

“Can we just change the subject?” Hailey cried, her lip quivering as she tried desperately to fight back her tears, in hopes that, given the water dripping from her face and hair, Grant couldn’t see them.

He did, but he pretended not to. “We can talk about anything you want,” he shrugged. “We should probably talk about how spectacularly I played this morning.”

Hailey grinned as she slid on her shoes, thankful for Grant’s easy dismissal of an uncomfortable situation. She pulled the ponytail holder from around her wrist and tied her wet hair back.

As she did, Grant turned away and started walking back through the woods, toward the road. He snapped a twig off a tree and slung it to the side, then repeated the action with the next tree.

Hailey watched him go, wondering, as he got further and further away, if he was going to look back. Finally, once she decided that he, indeed, had no intention of looking back, he surprised her by stopping and glancing over his shoulder. “You coming?” he called.

“Grant, would you stop moping around and get dressed, please, Son?” Nora begged as she hurried around the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the dishes she planned to carry over to Granny’s for Thanksgiving dinner. “Your dad and them will be arriving over at Granny’s any minute, and I don’t want to be late.”

Hailey walked into the kitchen wearing nice blue jeans and a fitted, ribbed, brown, turtleneck sweater. Her hair was down and naturally curly, and her cheeks were rosy with delight.

“Hailey, please try to convince Mr. Grumpy here to go and change out of his pajama pants,” Nora begged. “Is everyone else ready? It is time to leave!”

“Nora, are you ready to load the car?” Jack called from the hallway.

“Yes,” Nora called back, “are the girls ready to go?”

Hailey glanced over at Grant, who had not budged from his seat at the breakfast table.

“Grant, it’s time to get in the car,” Nora pled as she fought with a roll of stubborn Saran wrap. “At this point, I don’t care what you wear…just, at least, put a shirt on and run a comb through your hair, so I don’t have to endure the wrath of my mother.”

Jack gathered a load to take to the car as Jessica and Emily walked in comparing their nails, which Jessica had painted with fresh French tips. They were both dressed in festive, fall colors…Jessica in a long-sleeved, crimson-colored top that tastefully hugged every curve of her body and Emily in a more modest burgundy cardigan worn over a white oxford button-down.

“Oh, girls, look at you!” Nora said, admiring the three girls as they stood before her. “Let’s go outside and get a picture!”

“Grant, don’t you want to be in the picture?” Hailey asked.

Emily glanced over at the table and turned her nose up. “Why are you not dressed yet?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Grant said, standing. “Maybe because I’m the only person who seems to realize that this day could not possibly turn out well.”

“Grant, for crying out loud, Son, it’s Thanksgiving!” Nora protested.

“Which is a national holiday, not an alternate reality,” Grant grumbled.

“Put a smile on your face and go get dressed,” Nora insisted.

“Or you could just wipe that overly-perky, fake smile off your face, and we could lament the fact that you ever thought it was an acceptable idea for your husband and your boyfriend to spend this holiday together.”

“Grant!” Hailey exclaimed, scoldingly.

“I think we’ll just go wait in the car,” Emily nodded as she grabbed Jessica’s hand and made haste toward the front door.

“You might not want to go in there just yet, Dad!” Jessica exclaimed as they passed Jack in the doorway.

“You know,” Nora exhaled, “I used to be mortified by the things that came out of your mouth, but, at this point, I’m not even remotely shocked…and that makes me sad.”

“Do you want to know what makes me sad?” Grant shrugged.

“What I want is for you to go put your clothes on and make the best of this day,” Nora gulped.

“Well, anything to make you happy,” Grant stormed off.

“If you really want to make me happy, you’ll do it with a smile…even a fake one,” Nora called after him.

Hailey turned to Nora. “Why don’t you and Dad and the girls go on ahead?” she offered. “Grant and I will be on in my truck after he gets ready.”

Nora embraced Hailey appreciatively. “Thank you, Sweetheart,” she sighed. “I hate to leave you to deal with his moodiness, but I will never hear the end of it from Granny if I’m late.”

“I can handle him,” Hailey nodded confidently.

Nora let out a sigh as she loaded Jack down with dishes. “It’s not that I’m not nervous about everything that this day holds, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit I am a little excited too. Being able to spend this holiday with my mother and my children…who knows how many more opportunities like this I will get?”

“Don’t stress out over Grant,” Jack insisted as he and Nora carried the last of the load to the car. “We knew he was going to be this way today.”

“Worrying about Grant is a constant stressor I have lived with for eighteen years,” Nora sighed. “Grant I can handle. The idea of you and Randy in the same house…sitting at the same dinner table…well, I think the implications of that are really just now hitting me.”

When Grant walked out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a blue towel tied around his waist, Hailey was leaned up against the wall, her arms crossed, waiting for him.

Grant smiled at her, his blond hair wet and spiky.

“Today is a day set aside to remind us of all the blessings we have in our lives,” she said, following him into his room.

“And I am thankful for you,” Grant grinned, leaning down and kissing her lips.

Hailey could taste the minty-freshness of his toothpaste and feel the dampness of his hair against her face. “I’m thankful for you too,” she laughed, “and I’m a little nervous about meeting your family, so please cheer up because I need you to help me get through the day.”

“Okay, well, I’m getting dressed; you going or staying?” Grant winked.

“Going!” Hailey gasped. “Gosh!” she slapped him.

Grant laughed as she slammed the door behind her.

Hailey was sitting on the couch when Grant appeared less than ten minutes later. “Will you roll up my sleeves for me?” he asked, thrusting the arm of his hunter-green button-down at her.

As Hailey rolled the sleeves of his shirt, she breathed in the soft scent of his cologne. His hair was styled; his silver watch was prominent on his wrist; his shirt was neatly tucked into his dark-wash, blue jeans and his brown belt matched his brown boots.

Why all of that couldn’t have been done an hour earlier, Hailey didn’t know. “I’m the girl; aren’t you supposed to be sitting around, yelling for me to hurry?” she grinned, wrinkling her nose at him.

“I dare you to run off with me for the afternoon and spend Thanksgiving making me a very thankful man,” Grant challenged.

“While that certainly sounds tempting,” Hailey admitted, “your entire family is waiting for us.”

“Oh joy,” Grant smiled sarcastically.

“I know you’re looking forward to seeing them,” Hailey scoffed.

“Leah,” Grant nodded, “I’m looking forward to seeing my sweet Leah, but that’s all.” He paused. “Well, maybe Melissa…and Joey…and David a little bit, I guess.”

“What about your dad?” Hailey frowned.

“I prefer not to be there when he sees my mom walk in with your dad,” Grant shrugged. “I mean, can you imagine the conversation over dinner? What am I supposed to say? ‘So, Dad, how’s the home wrecker doing, or better yet, who’s she doing now? And, Mom, you’re looking so much younger these days…it’s like you’re back in high school again chasing after your high school sweetheart! And you, Jack, so I gotta ask, how awkward is it to spend Thanksgiving sitting across the table from your love interest’s current husband? And, Rachel, knocked-up and squandering your life away…how is that going for you? Wally, I see you’re reviving the eighties hair band look. Rock on, man! Oh, and I can’t forget you, Granny. I’m so thankful that you’re here to judge my dad with your eyes, condemn my mother for having the nerve to ever walk away from this town, and, most of all, I’m thankful you’re here to bring up my dead brother’s name every two seconds because there is nothing I like more than stories about how I’ll never measure up.’ I mean, let’s get real, Ike’s lucky he’s missing this Thanksgiving!”

Hailey frowned.

“It was a joke, Hailey,” Grant rolled his eyes as he flopped down next to her on the couch.

“Just not a particularly funny one,” Hailey sighed. “Trust me, I’m not looking forward to the awkwardness any more than you are, but we have no choice but to make the best of it.”

“I don’t plan to say much at all,” Grant admitted.

“I think that’s probably best,” Hailey agreed. “But I have serious, and founded, doubts about your ability to remain mum when forced into a social setting.”

There was a long pause as both sat imagining the day.

“At least Granny’s a good cook,” Hailey said, finally.

“Oh sure,” Grant mused. “She’ll be buzzing around her kitchen, announcing that she has made all of Ike’s favorites as though her beloved grandson is laid up in the living room watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and eagerly anticipating Granny’s pumpkin pie. He’s not here! He’s dead, people!”

“What are you so jealous of?” Hailey asked, standing, so that she towered over Grant as he sat on the sofa.

“I’m not jealous of my brother,” Grant rolled his eyes.

“You’re certainly jealous of how much they all loved him,” Hailey shrugged.

“I’m not jealous,” Grant insisted. “I don’t care that Granny doesn’t know the first thing about what I like to eat and what I don’t. I don’t care that every Thanksgiving I swear my dad is pretending his pride and joy opted to stay at West Point over the holiday, and that’s the only reason he’s not sitting at our table. I don’t care that my mother has a mini-meltdown every Thanksgiving because apparently it was St. Ike’s favorite holiday. Seriously, who prefers Thanksgiving over Christmas? I mean…honestly…come-on now! I don’t care that they all think of me as a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t care that every time I screw up, I can guarantee that one of them is going to remind me of all the reasons why Ike never would have done what I did.”

Hailey glanced down at her watch.

“Dang, Hails, what is your hurry?” Grant groaned.

“No,” Hailey scoffed, “it’s just that I’ve never known someone to rattle on so long about something they obviously care so little about.”

“I don’t care what they think,” Grant shook his head as Hailey tugged at his hand until he stood to his feet.

“Do you care what I think?” Hailey asked boldly.

Grant turned away, but Hailey gently tugged at his shoulder and turned him back around. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He stared off to the side of her face, refusing to make eye contact with her. “I think that you’re amazing. I think you’re special and different and challenging in a good way… and if other people can’t see that…it’s their loss.” Grant lowered his head, but Hailey lifted his chin. “I care so much about you, Grant,” she said, her voice oozing sympathy and sincerity.

“I know,” Grant said softly. “Just, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”

“I know that this Thanksgiving isn’t going to be the most traditional,” Hailey smiled up at him, urging him to look into her eyes, “but I’m pretty sure we can get through it together.”

Grant looked at her admiringly. “Last chance…we can skip the country before they send someone looking for us. You game?”

“No can do,” Hailey chuckled, “I don’t have a passport, and you know that.”

“Bummer,” Grant grinned. “Well, I’ve got to feed you, so I guess I’ll have to take you over and introduce you to the clan.”

“I reckon you will,” Hailey shrugged, and she stood on her tippy-toes to give Grant a quick peck on the lips.

As she started toward the door, Grant reached for her arm and spun her back toward him. “One for the road,” he laughed as they kissed again. “Okay,” he grinned, forcing himself to stop kissing her. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s do this thing.”

“I’m ready if you are,” Hailey nodded with animated affirmation, and they started toward the door again.

“Maybe just one more,” Grant declared as he chased after Hailey’s lips.

“One more,” Hailey beamed as she threw her arms around Grant’s neck and kissed him as he lifted her feet off the ground.

Wally was standing outside in the yard, offering a bowl of water to a stray dog, when Grant and Hailey drove up. “What is he doing?” Grant muttered as he put the truck in park.

Hailey started to remind Grant that he had promised to be on his best behavior, but, before she could open her mouth, Wally was making his way toward the truck, waving eagerly.

“What’s up, Wally?” Grant smiled, shaking his hand.

“Thanksgiving with Eminem and G-Unit,” Wally exclaimed. “It’s like being at the MTV Awards.”

“What did he just call me?” Grant mumbled as he turned his head toward Hailey.

“Eminem and G-Unit…get it?” Wally laughed as he reached out his hand to Hailey. “Those are my pet names for Grant and Em.”

“I got it,” Hailey smiled. “I’m Hailey Nelson, by the way.”

“Or as I like to call her…Nelly,” Grant shrugged.

Hailey popped Grant’s chest with the back of her hand.

Wally laughed. “This guy is funny, isn’t he?”

Grant rolled his eyes. “Hailey, this is my…wow, I don’t even know what to call you now, Wally…my sister’s baby’s daddy, I guess?” Hailey elbowed Grant in the ribs as subtly as she could. “Wally, this is Hailey, my…my…” there was a short pause, “my best friend.” Grant and Hailey glanced at each other briefly, and he was relieved to find her smiling.

David walked outside, carrying Leah as she cowered against his shoulder. “Leah, look,” he cooed. “Look who’s here to see you.”

“Oh my goodness, she is precious,” Hailey exclaimed. “Look at those red pigtails!”

“Princess Leah,” Grant said, reaching for Leah’s hand and stealing a kiss.

“See,” Wally nodded to Hailey. “Princess Leah…like Princess Leia….I told you he was funny.”

“Come see, Uncle Grant. I have missed my girl…” Grant beamed as he reached for Leah.

“She hasn’t wanted to leave my arms since we got here,” David said. When Leah reached out her hands and practically lunged toward Grant, David smiled disbelievingly. “Oh, I see how it’s gonna be,” he laughed. “You were just making do with Daddy, but Uncle Grant’s here now!”

As Grant nuzzled noses with Leah, David and Hailey introduced themselves.

“Who loves you? Who loves you?” Grant cooed as he showered Leah’s cheek with kisses. “Can you say hello to Hailey?” Grant took Leah’s hand in his and forced a little wave.

“Hi, Leah,” Hailey waved back

“Listen, Grant,” David exhaled, “I just want to take this opportunity to tell you in person that…”

“David, I know. You’ve told me,” Grant cut him off.

“I can’t believe that you’d…” David’s voice fell off, overcome with gratitude.

“It’s your money, David. It was a gift, no strings attached,” Grant nodded as he stroked Leah’s back. “Everything has been run through the proper channels; the money is yours now to spend, save and invest as you see fit.”

“Thank you,” David said, reaching out his hand to shake his brother’s. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Grant gripped David’s hand firmly, both graduates of Randy Cohen’s Manly Handshakes 101 course. “You’re welcome,” Grant nodded.

Melissa rushed outside when she noticed her baby girl out in the yard, cuddled lovingly in the arms of her uncle. “I didn’t know you were here yet!” she exclaimed as she ran across the front yard.

She swept Grant and Leah into a hug at once. “Oh, Sweetheart, I can’t even begin to tell you how thankful I am for everything you’ve done for us,” she cried. “It means the world to David and me…and, of course, to Leah.”

“I wish I could do more,” Grant said, hugging her tightly. “Money is one thing, but…”

“Oh my goodness!” Melissa exclaimed suddenly, catching a glimpse of Hailey for the first time out of the corner of her eye. “Is this your girlfriend?”

Grant smiled. “Well, Mel, she is my friend, and she is a girl, so…”

Melissa shot Grant eyes that said in astonishment, she’s the girl from the picture! Grant winked at her, and Melissa did a quick, little, happy shuffle.

“Mel, this is Hailey Nelson,” David smiled at Hailey. “She’s Jack’s older daughter.”

Melissa greeted Hailey with a hug. “It is so nice to finally meet you,” she exclaimed. “I’m Melissa, the nosy sister-in-law,” she laughed.

“So nice to meet you,” Hailey smiled graciously. “You have a beautiful daughter.”

“Thank you, Hailey,” Melissa said, reaching for her little girl. “I met your dad inside; he seems very sweet,” she went on.

“And brave apparently,” David added.

“Yeah, so how are things going in the asylum?” Grant grumbled.

“You could cut the tension with a knife, my friend,” David sighed. “Remind me again whose bright idea this was?”

“It wasn’t mine,” Grant assured him as he reached for Hailey’s hand, and they headed inside.

“It looks like we might get a little thunder shower later,” David said, gazing up at the sky.

Wally chased a strange, shaggy, white dog across the front porch as everyone else went on inside.

Emily and Jessica were engrossed in conversation when, suddenly, Jessica’s mouth fell open, causing Emily’s head to turn. “They’re holding hands,” Jessica whispered with a squeal.

Emily danced about making a mock clapping motion as she and Jessica bounced up and down excitedly.

When Hailey’s eyes fell on them, they stopped and went back to talking as though they had never noticed a thing.

“Here goes nothing,” Grant whispered as they approached Granny.

“Be nice; just say something cordial, and leave it at that,” Hailey urged.

“Hello, Granny. Happy Thanksgiving,” Grant smiled.

“Well, I’m glad you could find the time to get yourself dressed and join us,” Granny said in a rebuking tone.

“We are so sorry we’re running late,” Hailey jumped in before Grant had a chance to. “It was my fault; I just couldn’t decide what to wear, you know?”

Nora’s face contorted as she stood at the sink.

“Grant, give your Granny a hug,” Granny insisted, holding her hands off to the side as she pulled them from a mixture of powdered sugar and cream cheese. Grant offered her a quick squeeze. “Look here at this. Once when Eisenhower was just a tiny thing, I let him help me put this cake together, and your mama said he talked about that cake every time they sat down for a meal for months. Do you remember how much your brother liked…”

“Probably not, since I have no memory of him whatsoever,” Grant interrupted. “A fact that hasn’t changed since the last time you asked me.”

“That just breaks Granny’s heart! He would’ve set a good example for you,” Granny said without missing a beat.

Hailey rubbed Grant’s back, impressed that he seemed content to remain silent. “I’m sure Ike would be proud of the person his baby brother has grown up to be,” she couldn’t help but add.

“Thanksgiving was Ike’s favorite holiday,” Nora said, choking up.

“Yes, Mother, we know,” Grant nodded dismissively.

Hailey smiled, helping Nora wipe up the mess she had made on the counter. “Then I’m sure this day brings back special memories for you each year.”

“Oh, it does, Sweetheart,” Nora exhaled, thankful someone had given her an invitation to talk about it. “Ike would always insist that everyone gather around and we each take turns saying what we were thankful for. It’s been a long time since we’ve done that on Thanksgiving, but maybe it’s time we bring back that tradition.”

“I think that sounds like a beautiful idea,” Hailey agreed.

“I declare, you sure are a handsome devil,” Granny said, offering Grant a bowl of chocolate icing. “Here, try this. Ike used to say that getting to lick the bowl was the best part of helping Granny cook. This here chocolate icing was his favorite.”

“I don’t like chocolate icing,” Grant shook his head.

“Well, why in Heaven’s name not?” Granny exclaimed as though offended by the possibility.

“Don’t ask, Ms. Dottie, or we’ll likely get an hour long dissertation on tastebuds and how they work,” Hailey smiled as she dipped her finger into the bowl Grant was holding.

“I have never known a growin’ boy who didn’t like Granny’s chocolate cake,” Granny shook her head. Adding “um um um” as she went about her work.

“I know…it’s a sin,” Hailey nodded, bumping Grant with her hip as she sucked icing off her finger. “But…the way I see it…it just means there’s more for us!”

Granny smiled at Nora. “Jack sure did a great job with her,” she said as though Hailey wasn’t standing right there. “Throw a dress on her every now and then, and she’ll make a right fine little lady.”

Nora smiled at Hailey, embarrassed.

“Ms. Dottie, is there anything I can do to help?” Hailey asked to ease Nora’s tension.

“Well, you can start by calling me Granny,” Granny Miller insisted. “Because I’ll tell ya flat out, Darlin’, anybody who can successfully drag my stubborn grandson to the church house week after week has my respect. And bless your little pea pickin’ heart…you have managed to get him there every week.”

“Thankfully, I don’t have to drag him,” Hailey smiled. “He has never put up so much as a slight protest.”

Grant nodded. “Indeed, I have been there week after week, and I can categorically confirm that your favorite little preacher boy/sheriff/principal is a hypocrite if I have ever met one.”

“Like I told you last week,” Hailey pointed at Grant. “We don’t go to church for Pastor Jordan’s sake. It’s not about him.”

“Practice what you preach…that’s all I’m saying,” Grant shrugged.

“Why John Jordan is a fine man!” Granny reprimanded.

Grant scoffed. “It is worth noting that his disdain for me seems to have waned considerably since I started winning basketball games for him.”

Ignoring Grant, Granny focused on Hailey. “Hailey, do you know how to slice onions, Sugar?” Granny asked.

“No Ma’am…not really,” Hailey gulped.

“Well, get over here and let me show you,” Granny insisted. “I know your mama wasn’t around to teach you these things, but it’s a skill every good, country girl ought to learn. It’s a woman’s God-given responsibility to be able to make a meal fittin’ for her man.”

“Amen to that,” Grant whispered.

Hailey elbowed him in the ribs.

“You are the one who told me to try and find some common ground with Granny,” Grant whispered.

Hailey rolled her eyes.

“Go on, Babe,” Grant whispered. “Learn something, and we’ll go into town on Black Friday and get you your very own little apron.”

Hailey popped Grant on the butt, then quickly looked around and breathed a sigh of relief that no one had been watching. “Get lost,” she laughed.

“Go find, Daddy, Grant,” Nora insisted. “I think he’s taking a breather on the back porch. Joanna might be with him. I know they are dying to see you.”

“Do enough sucking up for the both of us,” Grant winked at Hailey as he set off to find his father.

Randy stood when Grant stepped out onto the back porch.

“So, this is where all the antisocial misfits are hanging out,” Grant winked at his sister as he embraced his dad.

Joanna patted the swing. “Sit, prop your feet up and make a wisecrack about the lunacy of this day; all the cool kids are doing it.”

Grant sat down next to his sister as he eyed Randy. “Two questions. How did you manage to sneak a cold one past Granny, and, better yet, do you really think that is the best way of going about winning Mom back? She hates when you drink.”

“So, this Jack character…” Randy folded his arms.

“Can we not talk about him, please?” Grant grumbled. “I’d much prefer to ignore reality today rather than actually deal with it.”

“What kind of cockamamie notion convinced your mother it was okay to invite me to Thanksgiving if she was planning on showing up with him?” Randy grumbled.

“Perhaps the only thing more shocking is that you actually showed,” Grant shrugged. “I could have lost good money on that bet.”

Randy exhaled loudly. “Spending a day of thanks with my estranged wife, her old flame and her piece of work of a mother…how else would a man want to spend a holiday?”

“Yes! Can we please talk about Granny for a minute?” Grant insisted. “As a child, did I do something that I don’t remember…kick her dog, hide her false teeth, light her homemade curtains on fire…?”

Joanna laughed loudly, flashing back to earlier in the day when Granny had told her as subtly as she seemed capable of that “it is such a shame … a woman of your age ought to be married off by now, child.”

“That is just Dottie Miller for you, Son,” Randy shook his head. “I have always sworn that your mother was blessed with her father’s charm and personality. That is until Granny’s conniving rubbed off on her, and she set me up to watch her flaunt her newfound happiness on a day that is supposed to be about family togetherness.”

“Thank God I won’t be getting the eyeful I got when you decided to unveil your newfound happiness,” Grant snickered. “Man, talk about scarred for life…”

“Grant…” Joanna grumbled.

Randy swatted at Grant and cleared his throat.

“I’m just saying…let’s not put all the blame on Mom,” Grant shrugged.

“Give me some dirt on Jack,” Randy insisted.

“You’re out of luck,” Grant sighed. “The guy is practically a modern day Ward Cleaver with a mean hook shot.”

“Well, if I’m expected to sit down to a meal with the man, the least you can do is brief me on what sort of moves he’s been making on my wife,” Randy bellowed.

“It’s not like that,” Grant shook his head, disinterestedly.

“She’s living with him!” Randy declared.

Grant rolled his eyes. “He sleeps on the couch…which probably doesn’t really serve to ease your fears since the couch was your substratum of choice when you got your game on with Cindy Lou Who.”

“Why are you defending Jack?” Randy accused.

“I’m not defending Jack,” Grant grumbled. “I’m not defending you. I’m Switzerland.”

“I don’t know what your mother was thinking, inviting him over,” Randy huffed. “I think she’s toying with me and using him to make me insanely jealous.”

“Have you spoken to him?” Grant asked.

“More or less,” Randy grumbled.

Joanna rolled her eyes. “And, by that, he means Jack attempted to shake hands and say hello, but Dad ignored his hand and offered a slight nod instead. Beyond that, we have been out here since we arrived.”

“The only other option would have been to deck the sorry sucker, but I figured that wouldn’t help my case,” Randy growled.

“Yeah, Mom has this crazy rule about no violence on major holidays, so you probably made the right choice,” Grant nodded.

“I don’t even know why I’m here,” Randy snapped. “Conversing with my wife’s suitor isn’t an option; Leah, as per usual, won’t even look at me; Granny clearly thinks I am the scum of the Earth, and I can’t even stand to look at Wally or Rachel right now.”

“Can you believe she’s pregnant?” Joanna rolled her eyes. “And with Wally Pate’s love child no less!”

Grant crossed his arms. “Well, as I like to say…you roll around with the pigs long enough and eventually you start smelling like ‘em.”

“Really? That’s something you like to say?” Joanna smiled at him.

“What can I say? Tennessee has grown on me,” Grant shrugged.

“That’s what I hear,” Joanna raised her eyebrow.

“Let’s talk about you for a minute, Soldier,” Randy practically demanded. “I was talking to someone the other day who reminded me that Bob Knight coached basketball for the Black Knights at West Point. He coached Mike Krzyzewski who played for the program while he was a cadet and later went back to coach himself.”

“That is great; I’ll be sure to give your regards to Coach K when the Tar Heels are running all over his Duke Blue Devils next season,” Grant nodded.

Randy ignored Grant. “I was making reference to the fact that West Point has a reputable basketball program, even boasting two of the most famous coaches in the game, since that seems to be a crucial selling point with you.”

“Yeah, you’ve done your research. I see that,” Grant said, putting his arm around his sister.

“Trust me,” Randy declared, “I wish that the quality of a school’s athletic program had nothing to do with your decision regarding where you should go to college.”

“I understand,” Grant nodded. “Sort of how I wish you had nothing to do with my decision regarding where I should go to college.”

“I just don’t get you, Grant,” Randy bellowed, smashing his empty can in his hand. “An opportunity of a lifetime is at your fingertips, and you won’t reach out and grab it.”

“It was the opportunity of your lifetime, Dad…not mine,” Grant rolled his eyes.

“Why do you do that?” Randy pointed, his voice stern. “Why do you roll your eyes and dismiss the subject of your future? You are eighteen-years-old. You will make decisions now that will impact the rest of your life. David nor Ike ever considered anywhere but West Point; I just don’t know where I went wrong with you.”

“David hated every second of his college experience,” Grant reminded his father. “He endured it for you. He earned the ring for you. He got the degree for you. He stood there all smiles at his commissioning for you. I won’t do that…I won’t spend four years of my life setting aside my own dreams to chase after your dreams for me. David feared disappointing you….he feared being a failure in your eyes, and I mean this with all due respect, Dad, but…”

“Stop right there,” Randy pointed.

“Don’t get me wrong, I hope to make you proud,” Grant shrugged, “but I’m gonna do it my way…on my own terms.”

“Just change the subject,” Randy insisted. “Today is bad enough on my blood pressure without getting into this with you.”

Grant rolled his eyes. “You are aware that your main man Eisenhower long had aspirations of being a professional baseball player, right?” he began. “He said, and I quote, ‘When I was a small boy in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing, and, as we sat there in the warmth of the summer afternoon on a river bank, we talked about what we wanted to do when we grew up. I told him that I wanted to be a real major league baseball player, a genuine professional like Honus Wagner. My friend said that he’d like to be President of the United States. Neither of us got our wish.’”

“Why are you telling me this?” Randy shrugged.

“Just sayin’,” Grant scoffed.

“Thankfully, he grew up. Now it’s your turn to do the same,” Randy nodded.

“Actually, he was cut from the baseball team at West Point,” Grant added. “In fact, he called not being able to play baseball at West Point one of the greatest disappointments of his whole life.”

“But he didn’t leave West Point in order to chase his pipe dream somewhere else because he realized what was truly important,” Randy argued.

“My point is that even a man as hooah as Eisenhower loved a good game,” Grant shrugged.

“Son, I like sports just as much as the next red-blooded, American male,” Randy protested. “The Red Sox, the Celtics, the Patriots…I love watching them all. I like basketball; I’d enjoy watching you play basketball, except that I fear you see it as a potential career path.”

“And what would be so wrong with that?” Grant shrugged. “You are a defender of the American dream. You are a patriot for freedom. You have spent your life fighting for our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So how is it that you believe so wholeheartedly in each individual’s right to freedom that you have been willing to put your life on the line for it, yet, when it comes to me, you want to strip away the basic rights that come with being an American?”

Joanna rolled her eyes, unable to stifle a chuckle in response to her brother’s overly dramatic monologue.

“Grant, play basketball, Son…nobody wants to take that from you…just do it at West Point,” Randy insisted.

“As much as I would love to articulate an intelligent response to that,” Grant shrugged, “you’re gonna have to settle for…I don’t wanna.”

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inextricably linked to authority, responsibility and accountability,” Randy pointed out.

“Well, that is a whole philosophical debate in itself,” Grant shook his head, “I could easily argue that your entire notion is based on the misconception that government…”

“Grant, I don’t want to get into this with you,” Randy insisted.

“How do you ever expect to have a real conversation with me if you never let me finish?” Grant shrugged.

Randy crossed his arms, irritated.

“Shall I go on?” Grant smirked.

“Do you know that Ike would have given his right arm to have what you have?” Randy fired back.

“Then if only I had what Ike had,” Grant nodded, “…namely your respect.”

“Respect is earned. He earned it. Have you?” Randy asked harshly.

“Dad?” Joanna sighed.

“No, that’s fair I presume,” Grant laughed. “I just would have thought that a man in your position would cut me a little slack. I mean I might have rightfully earned the title of family rebel or renegade son, neither of which sound all that bad when compared to adulterer.”

“Okay,” Joanna gulped. “I think I’m going to mosey on in now and let you boys finish out this conversation in private. I’ll go help in the kitchen. Is Hailey here? Why have I not been introduced to Hailey yet? She is all I hear about when I call you these days!”

“She’s in the kitchen making nice with Granny,” Grant smiled. “Why don’t you go introduce yourself and see if she needs rescuing yet?”

“Will do,” Joanna promised as she pecked Grant on the cheek. She looked toward her father and then back at her brother. “You guys keep it civil out here,” she begged. “Remember, today is Thanksgiving after all.”

As Joanna disappeared inside, Randy nodded at Grant. “How about we make a deal and save this conversation for another day? There’s enough to worry about today as is.”

“I have a plan, Dad,” Grant smiled.

“I’m sure you do, Son,” Randy nodded.

There was a long silence between the two of them.

“You just have to trust me,” Grant said finally.

“I want to, Son…” Randy said softly.

“I know it’s wrong, but sometimes I hate Ike,” Grant said easily.

“That’s a despicable thing to say about your own brother,” Randy flexed his neck, resisting the urge to pin Grant to the side of the house.

“I know, and I feel awful for it,” Grant nodded. “It’s not his fault; it’s yours. I can stand here and promise you that five years from now I don’t see myself playing basketball. I can assure you that I intend to live up to my potential. I can tell you that I have goals and assure you that I’m more ambitious than you give me credit for, but none of that matters if I don’t do for you what Ike was never able to do.”

Randy turned away.

“He was the next generation Cohen military man. He was the one meant to fulfill the dreams you had for a son. He was the son you always wanted. I’m sorry, Dad…but I’m not Ike…and I can’t be Ike…even as badly as you would like for me to be.”

Randy shook his head, massaging his temples as he turned back toward Grant. “I don’t know what happened to me after he died,” he gulped. “It broke something inside of me, and I haven’t been able to fix it in the sixteen years since.”

“Sometimes I feel like you take his death out on me?” Grant replied.

“What?” Randy exclaimed, surprised. “What are you talking about? Of course I don’t blame you! How could I blame you for what happened to Ike? Grant…”

“I don’t know,” Grant shrugged. “I’ve just always felt that way.”

“Really?” Randy asked, his breathing heavy now.

“Dad, are you okay?” Grant asked, genuinely concerned.

“You struck a nerve I guess,” Randy said, all but dismissing the fact that he seemed shaken to the core. “When you said you have always felt I blamed you for his death…what did you mean by that?”

“I don’t know,” Grant shook his head, shutting down.

“Oh, Grant…” Randy shook his head, unable to finish his thought.

“How did Ike die, Dad?” Grant asked.

“In a car crash…you know that…” Randy snapped.

“Were you driving the car?” Grant asked.

Randy started inside. “Don’t do this, Grant.”

“Dad, wait,” Grant grabbed his father’s arm.

“He had received his appointment to West Point that day…we were going to celebrate…” Randy said, his voice cracking.

Grant was quiet, not having expected an answer.

“Yes,” Randy nodded finally. “I was driving.”

Randy and Grant stared into one another’s eyes…a long silence looming between them.

Finally, Grant looked away. Randy squeezed Grant’s shoulder “Listen, Buddy, let’s not argue today, okay? I feel like I’m bending over backwards here to try and make this day everything your mother wants it to be, but it’s a very disconcerting feeling to see your wife walk in with another man. So, I need you today, Soldier. I need to know that somebody here is glad to see me.”

“And you’re counting on me to provide you with that affirmation?” Grant grinned.

Randy put his arm around his son. “I love you, Grant.”

“Now you’ve put me in a tough spot,” Grant rolled his eyes. “Because if I say it back, this really turns into more of a father/son bonding session than I’m comfortable with.”

“I understand,” Randy agreed playfully. He held out his fist and Grant pressed his knuckles up against his dad’s.

“I love you, Dad,” Grant laughed as Randy pulled him into a headlock.

Randy walked inside Granny’s house, his arm draped around Grant’s shoulders. “Dad, I want you to meet someone,” Grant said as they walked into the kitchen. Hailey was a picture of spunk, charm and natural grace when she turned around from the counter where she and Joanna were slicing vegetables.

“Hello, General Cohen, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Hailey said politely.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Hailey,” Randy said, shaking her hand. He walked over toward Nora. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he offered as he slid his arm around her.

“You have never offered to help in the kitchen before, so don’t start now,” Nora wrinkled her nose at him.

“I leave the cooking to the professionals,” he said, kissing her cheek. “It smells divine, Sweetheart.”

Nora glanced up at Randy with a stern warning. “Don’t put on a show for Jack’s benefit,” she whispered. “There is no need to make other people feel uncomfortable.”

“Right,” Randy nodded, “because I am totally comfortable with the situation myself.”

“Randy, all I want is a nice, big family Thanksgiving,” Nora pled.

“That’s all I want as well,” Randy nodded. “He’s not family, Nora. He shouldn’t be here, yet he is over there at the table making small talk with our first born.”

“Take your son’s lead and just be civil,” Nora nodded.

“It’s not fair to me that you asked him to be here,” Randy argued, his best attempt at a whisper failing miserably.

“You’re right,” Nora agreed, more loudly than she had meant to. “It was so rude of me not to ask if you wanted to invite Cindy. Please forgive my oversight.” Then, frowning, she shook her head. “I didn’t mean that…I’m sorry.”

“Jack,” Granny laughed as she busied herself straightening the centerpiece on her table, “I remember it like yesterday…you and Nora running around playing while your Mama, God rest her soul, and I were fixing lunch.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Jack nodded courteously. “All of my best Thanksgiving memories took place right here in this house. I looked forward all year long to your special Thanksgiving feast.”

“Nora, do you remember how you and Jack used to lick the butterscotch icing from the bowl with your fingers?” Granny mused purposely. “The two of you would pure fight over who got to take the first lick.”

“I remember,” Nora smiled.

“You should have seen them, Randy,” Granny declared. “They were the cutest things. Warms my heart just remembering them that little.”

“After Thanksgiving dinner we would all sit around and string popcorn garland for the Christmas tree. It was tradition,” Nora recalled fondly. “Every year, Daddy took Jack, and they picked out the Christmas tree and brought it back here…goodness, I miss him.”

Granny wiped the counter with her trusty dishtowel as she inched closer to Nora, in order to whisper, “Nora Jean, I just pray he is not rolling over in his grave, given the situation you have managed to get yourself into.”

Nora bit her lip to keep from saying anything, but she couldn’t help the tears that started streaming down her eyes.

“Oh, Darlin’,” Granny insisted, sweeping Nora up into a forced hug. “Don’t you cry now; I didn’t dare mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay,” Nora sobbed. “It’s just that…”

Grant leaned his lips down toward Hailey’s ear. “Cue the Ike meltdown…”

Nora moved easily to Randy. “Can we walk?” she asked.

As they disappeared toward the living room, Grant stood with his arm around Hailey. “How did it go with your dad?” she asked.

“Well,” Grant shrugged, reaching for a slice of cornbread, “seeing as how various miscellaneous tactics have failed, it seems the general has studied the history of West Point’s basketball program and formulated a new plan of attack… thinly-veiled bribery.”

Hailey rolled her eyes. “You seem to be handling it well.”

Grant nodded, his mouth full. “I’m afraid if I actually internalize anything going on around us today, I might actually spontaneously combust.”

“We made it past introductions, so surely we can manage heavy food and light conversation,” Hailey suggested.

“We shall see,” Grant winked, reaching for a slice of turkey.

Granny walked his way, swinging her dishtowel. “Shoo, Shoo…” she called as she popped him with it.

Hailey laughed as Grant reached for another slice of turkey before scampering out of Granny’s reach.

“You’re bad,” Hailey whispered with a point of her finger.

“And you love it,” Grant winked.

Hailey blushed, embarrassed, which only made Grant laugh harder as he pulled her into a quick hug and pecked the top of her head.

Outside on the back porch, the conversation had hesitantly moved from Ike. “Randy,” Nora scolded, eager to change the subject. “Would it be too much to ask of you today for you to spend a little quality time getting to know Hailey?”

“Jack’s daughter?” Randy shrugged.

“You would have to be blind/oblivious or both not to notice that your son has been shot by Cupid’s arrow,” Nora crossed her arms.

“It isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last,” Randy said dismissively.

“I want you to talk to him, Randy,” Nora insisted. “Though you’ve not set the best example lately…you are Grant’s father, and …”

“What do you want me to say to him?” Randy laughed off the suggestion.

Nora let out a long sigh. “Randy, Hailey is a good girl, and I just don’t want…”

“Then why don’t you and Grant and Emily just come home with me where you belong?” Randy begged.

“Don’t change the subject…Grant likes it here,” Nora countered.

“No, Grant likes her,” Randy laughed.

“Yes, he does,” Nora agreed.

“If you ask me, having two eighteen-year-old lovebirds living under the same roof is just asking for trouble,” Randy declared.

“So, Randy, would you please just talk to him,” Nora begged. “Show some interest in his life…aside from his college plans.”

“What would you like me to say to him?” Randy scoffed. “Grant and I had the birds and the bees talk a very long time ago.”

“It never hurts to refresh a boy’s memory,” Nora suggested. “Right?”

“Okay,” Randy frowned at her. “I promise. I will talk to him.”

“Thank you,” Nora nodded. “You’re a good dad.”

“If I was, Ike would be here with us today and Grant wouldn’t resent me so much,” Randy shook his head. “Don’t patronize me, Nora. Not today.”

“Randy,” Nora cried. “Can’t you see that you drove a wedge between us a long time before you ever laid eyes on Cindy, and this is why! Until you stop blaming yourself for what happened to our son…”

“How do you stop blaming yourself for something that was your fault?” Randy bellowed. Then, his voice softening, he took Nora into his arms. “I didn’t mean to yell at you…not about Ike…not about anything. You don’t deserve that. It’s just that…”

Nora shook her head, unwilling to allow Randy to finish. She reached her hand up and turned his chin so that he was looking at her. He avoided eye contact at first, but soon gave in. “You were put in an impossible position that day, Daddy…there was no right answer…there was nothing you could have done any differently…”

“That was my weakest moment…the worst day of my entire life,” Randy nodded. “I don’t know how you get over something like that.”

“I don’t know either,” Nora said, genuine sympathy apparent, not only in the tone of her voice but in the touch of her hand, as she lovingly stroked Randy’s back. “I wish I did.”

Randy stared down at the porch. “There is a huge part of me that doesn’t ever want to move on…that never wants to get over it…that wants it to sting as bad every day for the rest of my life as it did that night at the hospital when the doctor came out and told us the news. That is how much I loved my son.”

Nora was quiet for a moment as she reflected on the day that had changed both their lives and the lives of their family. “I guess the only thing you can do now is be a good father to the son who still needs you.”

Randy nodded. “He told me today that he feels like I blame him for Ike’s death,” he blurted.

Nora stared back at Randy, shocked.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much that hurt,” Randy said, his voice cracking. “Knowing that Grant has ever felt that way…”

Nora’s voice was soft but firm. “Ike is never coming back, Randy. But, you still have time with Grant, and it would be ashamed if he missed out on seeing what an amazing father I know you can be.”

Randy nodded. “I love that kid, Nora. Loving Ike doesn’t mean I love Grant any less. It’s just that Ike was just like me…”

“No,” Nora disagreed. “Ike was just like the man you used to be. Grant has never known that man…and that breaks my heart.”

Randy took a long, deep, deliberate breath.

“Randy, I didn’t say that to hurt you,” Nora cried.

“I love him, Nora,” Randy insisted. “I don’t resent him or blame him or wish that he was anybody besides who he is.”

“I know; I know you do,” Nora smiled as she took Randy’s hand. “Come-on,” she motioned toward the door. “We better get on back inside before Granny comes huntin’ us. It will be time to eat.”

“Nora, wait,” Randy said, stopping in his tracks as he followed her inside. He exhaled loudly. “This shouldn’t be so hard to say…it’s just that I want you to know that I mean it.” He swallowed. “I love you too.”

Tears glistened in Nora’s eyes as she turned back to him. “I believe that,” she nodded before quickly turning away and making her way inside the screen door.

“Granny?” Wally called, rushing into the already over-crowded kitchen. “I can’t find Spotty Sue anywhere?”

“What the heck is a Spotty Sue?” Joanna asked.

“Perhaps he has an illegitimate child from every past relationship?” Grant whispered.

“What do you mean you can’t find him?” Granny protested. “That was the only job I gave you, boy!”

“He was here eating the scraps I gave him, then he was just gone,” Wally recounted. “I think he might have run off into the woods behind your house.”

“Are we talking about that mutt?” Grant scoffed.

“His name is Spotty Sue,” Granny insisted.

“Did Johnny Cash teach you nothing?” Grant rolled his eyes.

Joanna and Hailey shared a quick glance at one another, both grinning.

“I have been looking after that dog for days,” Granny practically swooned. “I figured this big crowd might run him off.” She shoved the bowl she was mixing aside and looked urgently toward the kitchen table. “David, you’re an officer of the law. What should I do?”

David looked up from his seat at the table, stunned. “Ma’am?”

“You’re a policeman,” she said almost scoldingly. “Don’t you ever have to locate missing persons?”

“There is no missing person, Mama,” Nora sighed. “You can’t be responsible for every stray in town.”

“I want my dog found, do you understand me?” Granny Miller insisted, her bony finger pointing at Nora and then back at David and finally at Wally.

“I’ll find him,” Wally vowed. “Just let me grab my jacket, and I’ll head out into the woods to see if he’ll come to my voice.”

“You’ll take David with you,” Granny declared. “He is trained in this sort of thing.”

David shook his head. “Granny, I have no real training in …”

“Just go,” Granny said, hands on hips, refusing to take no for an answer, “and take Grant with you because the more eyes the better.”

“Jack, why don’t you go out and help them since you probably know the lay of the land better than anyone,” Randy suggested.

“I would be more than happy to help,” Jack said, standing.

“Sit,” Nora waved him off. “The boys will be just fine.”

“Go on now,” Granny urged. “It looks like we might have an afternoon thunder shower brewing, and Spotty Sue will be a wet, sick mess if he gets left outside.”

“Sick as a dog,” Grant shook his head.

“Get on now,” Granny shooed him away.

“Really?” Grant scoffed. “You want me to go outside in this weather with Slash and Kindergarten Cop and look for a stray dog that probably ran away because you didn’t name him Bill or George… anything but Sue?”

“If I have to go, then so do you,” David insisted, grabbing Grant’s arm and jerking his little brother toward him.

“Put your coats on,” Nora called.

“Hurry now, it’s nearly time to eat,” Granny scolded. “I don’t want all this food getting’ cold. That would be a downright shame. It is Thanksgiving for Heaven’s sake.”

Grant glanced back at the enormous spread of Thanksgiving fare. There was fried turkey, roasted turkey, giblet gravy, ham, dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, hash brown casserole, baked apple casserole, cream corn, corn on the cob, chicken casserole, squash, cranberry sauce, cabbage, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole, buttered rolls, cornbread, fruit salad, pumpkin pie, cherry pie, chocolate meringue pie, pecan pie, glazed lemon pound cake, spice cake and chocolate cake all ready to serve.

“I foresaw there being problems today,” David groaned as the boys traipsed out the back door. “This, however, wasn’t one of them.”

Thirty minutes had passed since Granny Miller sent her grandsons in search of Spotty Sue. After fifteen minutes of searching and shouting for the dog, David, Wally and Grant had all given up hope and decided to return to the house.

“This is just great,” Grant grumbled as he kicked a pile of dead leaves. “It has been nearly an hour; I haven’t heard anything resembling a dog barking, and we have no clue which way leads back to the house because apparently David can’t read a compass. Could you not have shared that information before I left you in charge of directions?”

“I know how to read a compass, Grant,” David insisted. “I think this old thing must be broken.”

“Fine,” Grant rolled his eyes, “you keep preaching equipment malfunction all you want…I’m still going with user error…hand me that thing!”

David shoved Grant. “I know how to read a compass; I could have sworn this was the way back to the field!”

“Well, obviously, it ain’t, or I wouldn’t be lost and starving right now,” Grant protested.

“Oh, you’re starving now?” David laughed. “It’s been less than an hour since you were stuffing your face with turkey!”

“I ate just enough to make me hungry,” Grant said before walking ahead, kicking leaves and muttering something in German.

Suddenly, thunder boomed, and Wally dramatically dove for cover.

“That’s all we need is for it to start pouring down rain,” David grumbled.

Grant glanced back at Wally. “This is perfect,” he nodded toward his brother. “You got us lost; it looks like the bottom could fall out any minute, and now General Scheizcoff over there is hunkered down like a dog in a hail storm.”

Wally stood up and straightened his disheveled hair. “Maybe we should split up,” he suggested.

“That’s a good idea,” Grant nodded. “Why don’t you go that way?” he pointed with a grin.

David rolled his eyes as he walked briskly to catch up to his brother. “We better stay together,” he told Wally. “Let’s head this way.”

“By all means, let’s blindly follow Mr. West Point because that has worked so well for us thus far!” Grant nodded as David passed him.

“Do you have a better idea?” David hollered.

“No, I’m way too busy contemplating how Granny is going to spin this whole ordeal and make it out to be all my fault,” Grant shrugged, as the darkening sky promised a looming storm.

“Right now we have bigger problems than what Granny will think,” David shook his head. “Why has Dad not come looking for us?” he sighed. “He can’t honestly think we are still looking for that dog, can he?”

Grant crossed his arms and flopped himself down on an old fallen tree. “Because they are all sitting at the table eating Granny’s deliciously moist homemade rolls, gluttonously oblivious to the fact that we failed to return from this thwarted rescue mission.”

“It won’t be long before Rachel starts missing me,” Wally declared with a nod of his head and raise of his eyebrow. “We have a little after dinner routine she thoroughly enjoys.”

Grant sprung to his feet and spread his arms wide. “Look around, Wally. I could kill you out here with my bare hands, and it is highly unlikely anyone would ever find the body.”

Wally glanced over at David, surprised. “I was just saying…”

“Wally,” David interrupted, “please spare us any mental images of you getting your groove on with our sister.”

“Honestly,” Grant grumbled, “Wally, you are depriving some village of its idiot. In this town, Billy Wayne Harper already wears the official dunce cap rather proudly, so just keep your mouth shut. We are lost in the woods; it is about to storm. I am tired; I am hungry; I am grumpy, and the last thing I want to hear is anything that remotely reminds me you knocked-up my sister.”

“Before we know it, there could be a little Wally Jr. running around,” Wally said proudly.

“That is the fear,” Grant nodded.

David took Grant by the shoulders, pointed him in the opposite direction and gave him a little shove. “Let’s keep walking,” he grumbled. Then David draped his arms across Grant’s shoulders. “And there is no since wasting this quality time we’ve been given.”

“What?” Grant rolled his eyes. “I am not in the mood for bonding. Unless you brought Smores, in which case I might be game for building a fire and calling it a night.”

“No,” David laughed, “I am fresh out of marshmallows, Bro, but while I have you out here, I’ve got to ask…”

“You don’t have to ask anything,” Grant chuckled.

“No, I do,” David insisted, pulling his brother into a loving headlock as they walked on. “It is clearly stated in the big brother handbook…Chapter One, Section A… that when little brother shows up to Thanksgiving dinner with a cute, little, curly-headed brunette, he must be properly interrogated.”

“Ask me anything,” Grant said confidently.

“Is it serious?” David asked, letting go of his brother.

“We are seriously friends…yes,” Grant nodded.

“Bull,” David laughed.

“You’re entitled to your opinion,” Grant shrugged.

“I’m just not entitled to the truth?” David fired back.

Wally, who had fallen a few steps behind, hurried to catch up with the guys. “Grant…have you…you know?” he blurted.

Grant spun around quickly. “You are just begging for a black eye today, Pal,” he laughed.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” David cleared his throat as he grabbed his brother and turned him back on his way, “but Wally asks a good question.”

“Give me that compass,” Grant insisted.

“Listen,” David said seriously, “as your much older and wiser brother it is my job to tell you that if the answer to that question is yes…you need to…”

Grant laughed. “If this is a safe sex lecture, perhaps you should direct it toward Tommy Lee back there. His girlfriend’s pregnant, not mine.”

“You just said girlfriend,” David pointed.

“It’s not like that with Hailey and me,” Grant insisted. “We’re friends. She’s not like any of the other girls I’ve ever been with.”

“Different as in you’re not sleeping with her?” David replied bluntly.

“Different as in I haven’t really thought about it,” Grant shrugged.

“Again I’ll say…bull,” David scoffed.

“Have I thought about it?” Grant rolled his eyes. “Well, duh! But there’s just a lot more to it than that.”

“Different as in you’re falling in love with this girl,” David nodded.

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” Grant insisted.

“Have you told her you love her?” David asked.

“What? Like trying to get lucky?” Grant rolled his eyes.

“It amazes me where your mind went based on what was a very sincere question,” David said, genuinely bothered.

“It was a stupid question,” Grant protested. “I can’t tell her I love her! Why would I do something like that?”

“And I ask the stupid questions?” David shrugged.

“It’s different with Hailey,” Grant insisted. “It’s hard to describe…”

“Well, yeah, you know her name; that is generally a good place to start,” David said casually.

Grant exhaled, irritated. “Listen, you ever talk like this in front of Hailey, and I will make you regret the day you…”

“Bro,” David shook his head. “I am just asking you, right here, right now. Does she know about your affinity for older women?”

“No, of course not!” Grant exclaimed. “Besides, let’s not take a one time incident and turn it into some sort of trend.”

David scratched his head. “The Russian girl and the one who Jo caught in her apartment wearing nothing but your t- shirt makes two…”

“Surely you made a mistake or two along the way before you settled down, huh?” Grant countered.

“There was nobody before Melissa, and there certainly hasn’t been anyone since Melissa,” David said definitively.

“Well,” Grant rolled his eyes, “it must be nice to have such a clean rap sheet. If we ever find our way back to civilization, I’ll have a medal made up for you and pretend I have never logged on to your computer and discovered where you get all your kicks.”

David coughed, stunned. “What?”

“Just checking, but apparently you are a boy scout,” Grant mumbled.

“It’s not my intention to compare track records,” David sighed. “I’m just trying to be a good brother and warn you that…”

“I don’t need any warning,” Grant snapped.

“I think you do,” David fired back. “Do you not remember staring in your own version of From Russia with Love? I swear Dad was convinced that Larissa, if that was indeed her real name, was, no doubt, working for a terrorist agency intent on…”

“Oh, spare me the conspiracy theories,” Grant laughed. “I spent twenty days roughing it in Russia, no identification, no money, no way to prove I was an American citizen, waiting for my papers to be filed, knowing that if I survived the debacle I was as good as dead when I got home anyway. Some instances just don’t require further discussion or brotherly analysis. There was no ransom; there was no breach of American security…gosh, it was not that big a deal…”

“So have there been any other girls since you met Hailey?” David asked curiously.

“Since I’ve been in Hope Hull…no, of course not,” Grant replied quickly.

“That’s not what I asked you,” David shook his head.

“And I think I answered you fairly enough,” Grant said, making a point to speed up and leave the others behind.

“Alright then,” David nodded, resting his case.

Grant turned around abruptly. “Listen, I’m not in the best mood right now, so if you could leave Hailey’s name out of this conversation, I would appreciate it. She’s way too classy and much too innocent to have her name mentioned in the same breath as anyone from my past.”

“Let’s be honest,” David agreed, “she’s too sweet and too innocent to have her name mentioned in the same breath as yours.”

“Well, you’re probably on to something there,” Grant shrugged.

“Grant, I was kidding,” David frowned.

“No you weren’t,” Grant laughed.

“Well, for what it’s worth to you…I really like her,” David nodded.

Grant managed a sarcastic, “that’s great, Dave! I really like her too.”

“She’s the best thing that has ever happened to you,” David declared. “Don’t do something stupid and screw up whatever it is the two of you have.” He paused, and his face contorted. “Did you just call me Dave?”

Grant shook off the question dismissively. “Listen, if you think I’m capable of hurting Hailey then maybe you don’t know me quite as well as you think you do.”

“I hope you mean that,” David said, smiling proudly.

“May lightning strike me down if I do anything to jeopardize my relationship…my friendship…with Hailey,” Grant said confidently.

Just then, thunder boomed so loudly that the boys were sure the sky would split open. All three gasped simultaneously before David and Wally doubled over in laughter.

“Dang, Grant!” David cackled, laughing so hard he could hardly catch his breath.

“Wow,” Wally added.

“Somebody wants you to know He’s taking that challenge seriously,” David pointed.

Grant swallowed hard, admittedly a little stunned. “Come-on,” he said, walking purposefully ahead. “Let’s get out of here.”

“He’s not taking any chances,” Wally laughed as he and David jogged to catch up.

“I don’t know why everyone insists on making such a big deal out of this anyway,” Grant declared as he kicked a pile of debris in front of him. “In May reality will rear its ugly head; our lives are going to change, and this fun little rendezvous with destiny will come to an end.”

David frowned. “Well, I can only tell you, Bro, that judging by the sparkle in Hailey’s eyes when she looks at you…I seriously doubt she’s as remiss about the future of your friendship.”

“She’s not stupid,” Grant scoffed. “This is not a movie or some fairy tale where everything ends happily-ever- after and leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. My life is on one path; Hailey’s life is on another…we are headed in drastically different directions…the glass slipper doesn’t fit…there is no white horse…and as much as I like being with her, I won’t sacrifice my life, my career and my plans for any girl.”

“Because you can find a girl like Hailey anywhere, right?” David shrugged.

Grant pretended not to have heard his brother’s pointed question. David nodded to himself as he read into his brother’s silence. “Let me give you a little advice, Grant,” he said, guessing that his little brother was listening, though he was doing a good job of pretending not to. “You’ll know when you meet the one because somehow you’ll find a way to have those roads meet in the middle.”

“I’m eighteen,” Grant shot back. “I have plenty of time to figure out how I want to spend the rest of my life.”

David stared over at his brother, who steadfastly refused to look in his direction. There was so much David wanted to say, so much he wanted to do. He had to resist the urge to tackle Grant to the ground and demand to know why he was so stubborn that he could not even admit to himself that his feeling for Hailey Nelson ran so much deeper than he suggested. David did not understand how his brother, forever the cynic, could deny what he had witnessed so clearly. It was not just Hailey’s eyes that sparkled when she looked at Grant because, as Grant’s brown eyes stared back at her, there was a softness to them, a sweet, loving protectiveness that David had only seen in Grant when he looked at Leah. He would move Heaven and Earth for Leah if he could; David knew this, and he had to believe, based on what he had seen, that the same was true of Hailey. He found himself wanting to defend Hailey, a girl he had only met that day, but something told him that despite Grant’s easy brush-off, defending Hailey to Grant was unnecessary. Ultimately, David decided that it was best to pick his battles with his ornery, baby brother, and he nodded his head and smiled knowingly. “That’s true,” he agreed. “You’re right.”

The boys trudged ahead in silence before David threw his arm out in front of his brother. “Stop,” he ordered suddenly, cupping his hand around his ear. “Did you guys hear something?”

The boys froze in place.

Thunder boomed again and the rain began pouring down.

“Could this day get any worse?” Grant groaned as he was pelted by sheets of wind and rain.

“Grant? David?” came Randy’s booming voice, somewhere in the distance.

“Dad!” David shouted back. “Dad, we’re over here!”

“David? Grant? Can you hear me?” Randy called.

“We hear you, Dad!” David yelled as the rain beat down. “We hear you!” The rain began to fall harder. David turned to Grant with a shove. “A little help here, please? On three…”

“You’re a little more eager to have your manhood scrutinized than I am,” Grant rolled his eyes.

“Dad! Over here!” David yelled as Wally joined in.

“Over here, Dad!” Wally hollered. “Help! Help!”

Grant just shook his head. “Dad?” he muttered with a disgusted curl of his lip. “Is he serious?”

“Where in the world are you knuckleheads?” Randy bellowed as he walked up on the boys. “I swear, the three of you better have had to fight off lions, tigers and bears as long as we’ve been waiting around for you.”

“No, Sir,” Wally sighed as the rain slacked. “We didn’t even find, Spotty Sue,” he admitted.

“That mutt’s in the living room enjoying a healthy helping of ham and turkey,” Randy rolled his eyes. “It’s you three morons who are out here starving and soaking wet!” He flung an arm around Grant’s neck. “Get yourself in this house; your mother is convinced you’re going to catch a death of cold.”

As night fell, Grant, who had changed into dry windpants and a Carolina blue Tar Heels hoodie, sat on the sofa next to Joanna, both eating off the same dessert plate.

In the kitchen, Hailey and Emily were helping Nora and Granny put away bountiful leftovers, though everyone had piled their plates at lunch and supper.

The house was quiet now that nearly everyone had headed home. Most of the out-of-town crew had been eager to get back on the road. Only Joanna stayed behind, planning to spend the night at Granny Miller’s and spend a little more time with her brother.

Jessica had come down with a slight cold, and, after Granny brewed her up a little of her surefire home remedy, Jack had taken her back to the house to rest, saying, “this cold is going around the school; I’m surprised they all haven’t come down with it. She’ll be fine in a day or two.”

“This is good stuff,” Joanna exhaled as she savored a bite of Granny’s famous Double Decker Pumpkin Pie.

“It’s my fifth piece of pie today,” Grant admitted.

Joanna smiled. “So now that I finally have you all to myself,” she whispered. “What is up with not telling me that Hailey and the mystery girl in the picture that I found in your desk drawer are one in the same?”

“That would have ruined the element of surprise,” Grant winked.

Joanna smacked him gently with a throw pillow.

“I love you, Joey,” Grant said sincerely.

“Grant,” Joanna smiled as she glanced back toward the kitchen to make sure they were alone, “you seem different.”

“That’s probably because I’ve had too much food in my mouth all day to say anything disparaging,” Grant suggested flippantly.

“Oh, you’ve managed a few of your typical offensive quips, but all in all you seem more content,” Joanna nodded. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with the aforementioned Miss Hailey Nelson, would it?”

“Isn’t she great?” Grant grinned.

Joanna sat the plate of dessert onto the coffee table and took hold of Grant’s wrists. “I have five words for you. Don’t screw it up, Bro!”

“That seems to be the running theme of the day,” Grant nodded with a laugh.

“Tell me about her,” Joanna whispered as she pulled her knees up under her chin, ready to listen.

Grant shrugged. “Hailey has been so easy to get to know because she is so giving of herself. As for me, I’m working on not being such a closed book. I’m intensely private by nature, but, with her, I’m finding it easy to just be myself. We talk about things, you know? Like, just last week, she was telling me about how when she was a little girl she dreamed of growing up and building a little, white house out in the pasture behind her dad’s house. She said she pictured a swing hanging from the big oak tree in the backyard and a white picket fence enclosing the yard…”

“You have never struck me as the picket fence type,” Joanna shook her head.

“Well, no I don’t see myself sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of my house in Hope Hull wearing my overalls and smoking my pipe,” Grant admitted. “But I choose to focus on what we have in common…we both want to live in a white house.”

Joanna laughed. “Your attitude is different,” she smiled. “I like it.”

“I don’t know if I would go all that far,” Grant rolled his eyes.

“Face it. You’re happy, and you can’t hide it,” Joanna pointed, poking his tummy with her outstretched fingers, like big sisters do.

“I think I might finally be figuring out that knowledge of the world doesn’t have to necessarily equal dower pessimism, if that’s what you’re getting at,” Grant agreed.

“Have you said the three magic words yet?” Joanna practically squealed.

“No, Joey,” Grant said dismissively. “I’m not really there yet…”

“Why not?” Joanna asked, surprised.

“First David and now you,” Grant groaned.

Joanna was quiet, urging Grant with her eyes to fess up.

“So that’s how you do it?” Grant smiled. “Those eyes right there are how you coerce witness stand confessions, right?”

“Spill it,” Joanna insisted.

“I don’t know.” Grant grinned. “I’ve said I love you to a handful of women for various reasons, but I can’t seem to bring myself to say it to her. It has been on the tip of my tongue; I’ve thought about it, but I can’t actually seem to make myself say the words…and maybe it’s because…well…because this time I actually mean it.”

Hailey poked her head into the living room. “Anybody want any pie before we put it up?” she smiled.

“Oh, I am so stuffed I can hardly move,” Joanna laughed.

“I think I might have to have one more slice of something,” Grant said, standing. “And, is there any of that fruit salad left?”

Hailey laughed. “Are you serious?”

“Indeed,” Grant replied shortly.

“Yeah, come-on, and I’ll show you where we put it,” Hailey nodded with an amused grin.

Grant kissed the top of Hailey’s head. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll take this opportunity to play nice with Granny while you relax for awhile and hang out with Joey.”

“Yeah,” Joanna urged. “Come-on, Hailey, sit!”

Hailey seemed distracted as she stared at Grant’s chest. “What’s wrong?” Grant asked softly.

“Nothing,” Hailey shook her head with a pleasant smile that was not totally reassuring. “I was just looking at your sweatshirt…and you know…”

Grant lifted her chin with his hands. “I’m not going anywhere today, Hails…”

“You’re right,” Hailey agreed. She offered Grant a quick hug before moving over toward the sofa to join Joanna.

“You know, Hailey, I have been hoping to get a moment alone with you all day,” Joanna smiled. “Grant is my baby brother, so, naturally, I’m protective of him. We were apart for the large majority of his childhood, so we became phone buddies. We talked about everything! When he was little, he would tell me about the places he had been and the things he had learned. He asked me questions about everything you could imagine. In more recent years, the conversations became more difficult; he never had too much to say about himself. We talked about books and politics and even the weather…but I felt very closed off from Grant’s world…and it was hard. Lately, however, I have not been able to have a conversation with him during which he did not bring up your name. When he talks about you, his voices changes…like I can hear him smile. So the thing I most looked forward to about this trip was having a chance to meet you…the girl who has essentially given me a piece of my brother back. And now that I’ve met you…I just want to say thank you.”

“For what?” Hailey seemed surprised. “I didn’t do anything.”

“It couldn’t have been easy for you today to have the whole lot of us drop in, especially given the circumstances,” Joanna acknowledged. “The whole Cohen brood can be a little much to take at one time, but you handled every situation with a tremendous amount of grace and charm.”

“Oh, well, thank you,” Hailey said, not knowing what to say. “To be honest, I was really excited to get to meet all of you. Grant talks about all of you, so it was great to be able to put faces with names.”

“I was impressed by how you didn’t shy away from my dad,” Joanna added. “Some people find him a little intimidating at first. And, we all appreciate how loving you were toward Leah. Some people give up pretty quickly, but you were a trooper. You really had a way with her. She was feeling your hair, which, from her, is the ultimate compliment and a sure sign of her approval.”

“I know how much she means to Grant,” Hailey smiled.

“Isn’t he great with her?” Joanna sighed, admirably.

“It was so sweet to witness the special bond the two of them share. It really is a beautiful thing,” Hailey said, recalling the way Grant held his niece, so tenderly in arms so full of love.

Joanna took Hailey’s hands in hers. “The real reason I wanted to thank you, Hailey, is that my brother was going full-speed-ahead down a dark and lonely road, and he wasn’t stopping for anything or anyone…then you happened.”

Hailey brushed off the compliment. “Grant’s a special guy. Whatever changes you see in him…well, I certainly can’t take any credit for it.”

Nora spoke quietly as she lay, hiding out in her mother’s bedroom, stretched across the homemade quilt, the phone to her ear. She twisted the curly phone cord around her finger as she listened to Randy speak.

“Grant and I do need to sit down for a heart-to-heart,” Randy admitted. “There is a lot I need to make him understand.”

“You should do that, Randy,” Nora encouraged. “Don’t put it off.”

“It just seems that Grant and I can’t have a conversation that isn’t an argument,” Randy frowned, “and I hate that.”

“You pressure him,” Nora sighed. “You have to stop treating him that way. You have to build the sort of relationship you want to have with Grant, or there will come a time when he turns away completely. Your son needs you in his life, Randy.”

“And I need his mother in mine,” Randy retorted.

“Don’t turn this conversation to make it about us,” Nora sighed, and a tear ran down her cheek.

“It is about us, Nora,” Randy argued. “It’s about our family…our son…our future.”

“He’s a good boy, Randy,” Nora said defensively.

Randy took a deep breath. “Nora, I know you think I’m hard on him, and I admit that there are times when I push him, but it is only because I see something great in him.”

“So maybe you won’t have the privilege of seeing another one of your boys graduate from West Point,” Nora spoke sweetly, “but I have a strong feeling that one day you’ll be revered not only as a valiant and accomplished general, but as a man who raised a U.S. president.”

On the other end of the line, driving down a dark highway, Randy Cohen smiled.

“There you are,” Grant declared when he found Jessica outside in the backyard in a tight, hot pink, spandex outfit, mimicking awkward yoga poses she had seen on TV. “I thought you were sick?”

“I’m better today,” Jessica shrugged. “I’m working out!”

Grant stared at her questioningly. “Okay…if that’s what you call that.”

“What do you need?” Jessica asked.

“No One Else on Earth by Wynonna Judd,” Grant sighed. “I’m looking for lyrics.”

“Why do you ask?” Jessica stopped posing and crossed her arms interestedly.

“I ask because somehow you folks manage to live without an internet connection, so I can’t Google it,” Grant shrugged.

“Why do you ask?” Jessica repeated, enunciating.

“I’m supposed to be researching a song, so I came to the only country music aficionado I know,” Grant admitted.

Jessica smiled. “Emily was right; if I just ignore your initial response, you’re much more tolerable.”

“Focus, Jess,” Grant nodded insistently. “The song…what are the lyrics to the song? What is Hailey trying to tell me?”

A smile stretched the length of Jessica’s face, her pearly white teeth glistening behind her shiny lip gloss. “It means she’s in love with you…” she gasped as she ran off to tell Emily the news.

“Jessica!” Grant called. “Where are you going? The lyrics? I want to know the lyrics!”

Jessica looked back over her shoulder. “Hailey’s in the barn…why don’t you go ask her?”

Grant rolled his eyes. “If I had wanted to ask her, I would not have asked you,” he mumbled under his breath. He glanced toward the barn and shrugged his shoulders. “She’s in love with me, huh?” he said aloud. He ran his fingers through his hair, straightened the collar on his polo shirt, stuck his hands in the pockets of his jeans and walked confidently toward the barn.

“Em,” Jessica called, barreling into the room they shared. She tripped over a book on the floor as Emily watched from the bed.

Emily sat up, tissue in hand. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice scratchy.

Jessica, distracted, knelt down to pick up the book off the floor. “When did you go to town and get stuff from the library?” she asked.

“I didn’t,” Emily shook her head.

Jessica spotted another book sticking out from under the bed. She lifted the bed skirt to discover a stack of library books hidden away.

“Hailey went to the library?” Emily asked.

Jessica was busy digging under the bed. “My goodness, did Hailey bring the entire library home; she hates to read? What in the world are all these books?” She reached one up to Emily as she dug for another.

“Eleanor Roosevelt?” Emily shrugged. “Maybe she had to do a report for school.”

Jessica snatched the book back and stared at the picture, “Oh, bless her heart,” she gasped, turning the cover toward Emily.

“Jess!” Emily exclaimed.

Jessica examined the cover of the book she had inadvertently tripped over. “Jacqueline Kennedy,” she said aloud.

She reached under the bed for another book and extended it to Emily without even looking at it. “Barbara Bush,” Emily said, tossing it onto the bed.

Jessica stood, this time holding a stack of books. Emily laughed as she took them from the stack, one by one. “Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Mamie Eisenhower, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Lady Bird Johnson, another on Eleanor Roosevelt …does anyone else see a pattern here?”

“Busted,” Jessica laughed. “They are so together. How funny is it that Hailey has a who’s who of famous first ladies stashed away under the bed?”

“I’m impressed,” Emily admitted.

“Oh, dear, who is going to dress her?” Jessica sighed. “We are talking months upon months out on the campaign trail, then there are speeches and dinners and meetings and events and appearances…”

Emily blew her nose before replying. “It’s like another seventeen years before Grant will even be age eligible to run for the presidency, so we have a little time to work with her.”

“Something tells me that we still shouldn’t waste any time,” Jessica sighed, flopping down on the bed.

“That’s true,” Emily thought aloud. “I mean before he becomes President Cohen, I’m sure he’ll be Senator Cohen or Governor Cohen or something like that.”

“Dresses are out of the question,” Jessica shook her head. “Let’s face it, she’ll never be Jackie Onasis, but I’m picturing some really great looking pants suits.” She giggled. “Okay, now I’m losing focus because I’m picturing your brother in his suit and tie…”

“Does he look presidential?” Emily laughed.

“Well, preliminary polls show he’s got the female vote in the bag,” Jessica winked.

“That’s your sister’s man you’re talking about,” Emily said with a playful elbow to the ribs, and both girls broke into giggles. They fell back onto the bed, both giddy with excitement at their discovery.

Jessica shot to her feet suddenly. “Does this mean we would get to visit the White House? Do they let sister-in-laws ride on Air Force One? I wonder if they will ask me to sing on the White House Christmas Special? Oh my gosh, what will I wear?”

Emily broke into uncontrollable laughter.

“Am I jumping the gun?” Jessica scrunched her nose.

“Maybe a tad,” Emily nodded.

Jessica, more composed now, sat back down next to Emily and sneezed.

Both girls laughed as Emily offered her the box of tissues.

“Do you think Grant knows that Hailey is studying up on America’s First Ladies?” Emily asked curiously.

“I doubt it,” Jessica smiled.

“Interesting,” Emily nodded.

“I’m gonna sneeze again,” Jessica sighed.

Emily began shoving the books back underneath Hailey’s bed.

Jessica sneezed, and then Emily did the same.

They stared at each other pitifully, as they crawled into the same bed. “I’m too tired to blow the cover on the lovebirds today,” Emily sighed.

“Me too,” Jessica groaned.

Just then, Hailey appeared in the doorway to their room. She covered her mouth as she coughed, then brought her hand to her forehead. “I feel like I have fever,” she whined.

“Nora has cough syrup; cough drops are on the nightstand, and we have tissues,” Jessica replied, patting the small slither of bed between she and Emily.

Grant poked his head inside the room as Hailey crawled into bed with the girls. “Lysol?” he shrugged as he eased the door closed. “Do we have Lysol?”