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or anywhere else.”
    “Which
makes it all the more difficult to fathom the two splitting up,” Laura said. 
“Although I certainly don’t know anything about my sister’s marriage, so I
can’t really speculate anyway.”
    Laura
didn’t miss the sympathetic expression that flitted across Dalton’s face.  She
knew he was well aware of the way Candace had treated her during their
adolescent years.  For whatever reason, she suddenly felt embarrassed—as if she
were somehow deficient or flawed—which accounted for her sister’s treatment of
her.
    Thankfully,
he didn’t comment on her lack of insight into her sister’s marriage.  He did
reinforce one of Thomas’ theories.  “I have to think her miscarriage prompted…”
    “Do you
think she had a breakdown?” Laura cut in with concern.
    “It’s
possible.  You hear about women who have post partum depression after a
successful birth.  I can’t even begin to imagine the pain of miscarriage.  It
stands to reason a person would have all sorts of emotions trying to deal with
the profound loss.  I know Dan was thrilled about the pregnancy.  It had to be
tough on both of them to have it end so tragically.”
    “And
tough on the kids,” Laura mused.   
    “Hey, I
thought I heard voices down here,” Thomas said sleepily.  He was standing at
the head of a short hallway off the living room that led directly to the only
bedroom on the main floor.  “Can’t sleep, you two?”
    “I’m
afraid the kids were having some trouble sleeping,” Laura told him.  “I was
checking on Kenny, when I turned and…”
    “Crashed
into me,” Dalton said.  “By the way, why didn’t you tell Laura that I live here
now?”
    He gave
a shrug.  “I didn’t think about it.”
    Laura
certainly wished he had.  She might have been better prepared for a late night
encounter with the object of her adolescent affection.
    “Thanks
to your omission, Laura has a black eye.”
    “Hey,
don’t blame me.  Sis, are you okay?”
    “I’m
fine,” she assured him, and rose from the couch.  “No harm done.  Good night,
Dalton.  Thomas.”
    She
padded upstairs, actually grateful to Thomas for appearing in the living room. 
Was she mistaken, or did Dalton seem intent on keeping her there to talk?  He
did seem genuinely concerned about her injury.  She supposed he could have been
worried she might fall asleep and never wake up.  But she was so exhausted,
even the sagging mattress beckoned to her weary body, and she didn’t have the
strength to resist.
    She lay
down, promptly sliding into the massive indentation in the middle of the bed. 
“Lord, bless this family…  And Dalton…” she managed to pray, before she drifted
off to sleep.
     
    ***
     
    “Aunt
Laura, Aunt Laura, wake up!”
    Laura
heard a voice calling her name, but she resisted responding.  Her jet-lagged
mind and body yearned for sleep.
    “ Aunt
Laura! ”
    When
little fingers began prying her right eye open, she realized blissful slumber
would have to wait until nightfall.  “I’m awake,” she said, her speech slightly
slurred.
    “Hey,
what happened to your eye?  It’s all swelled up.  Did you fall out of bed?”
Krissy asked with concern.
    “No, I
didn’t fall out of bed,” she yawned.  “Hey, Krissy, how about letting Aunt
Laura sleep awhile longer?  I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck.”  She
tried to roll over, but it was difficult with the uncooperative mattress, and
equally uncooperative niece, who had grasped her upper arm and was tugging at
her.
    A deep
voice spoke from the doorway.  “I’ve had people mention I have pretty
impressive pectoral muscles, but comparing me to a mack truck, well…”
    Laura
was suddenly wide awake, and instinctively yanked her covers up to her neck. 
“Dalton!”
    “How’s
the eye?”
    “Purple,”
Krissy informed.  “And swollen.  And black and blue.  And even a little red.” 
Krissy gave him a dirty look.  “You hurt