Read As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) for Free Online
Authors: Lori Wick
taller than she was and even had a mustache. Bobbie could only stare at her 18-year-old brother. Troy stared back.
"Hi, Bobbie," the young man finally said, his voice as deep as Jake's.
"Hi, brat," Bobbie said fondly. Another moment passed and then Troy grabbed her and squeezed her tight. They laughed and talked nonstop for the next hour before
49
48 Lori Wick
Bobbie told her family she was going to be too tired to walk the stairs if she didn't go to bed.
"Have you told her about our plans for the weekend?" Troy said softly as his sister started out of the room.
"No," Jake said when he was sure she couldn't hear. "I thought I'd surprise her over breakfast."
The three remaining in the living room shared a conspiratorial grin and then sat in silence and listened to the floor creak above them as Bobbie readied for bed. Marynne couldn't remember when anything sounded so sweet.
seven
"It'sabout time you got up." Bobbie was greeted by her brother's voice and she smiled sleepily at him.
"I'd forgotten how soft that bed was," Bobbie commented as she poured herself a cup of coffee and joined him at the kitchen table. "Where is everyone?"
"Dad's working and Mom ran uptown. She thought you might want to go but decided to let you sleep."
Bobbie moved from the table and began to fix herself some breakfast. She had eggs in the pan when she asked Troy a question that had been on her mind since last night.
"So tell me, Troy, how long have you been seeing Carla Johnson?"
"Yesterday was the third time."
"Where do you and Carla usually go?'"
"Last night her folks asked me to supper and then we played a game. The times before that we just went for a walk."
Bobbie grinned and they continued to talk. There wasn't really much catching up to do, since they had all kept as close as the mail would allow.
50
"Did Cleve see you off?" Troy asked.
"No, just Uncle Jasper and Aunt Joanne. I'm kind of glad he didn't."
"You're not sure, are you? I mean, nothing is deft-nite?"
"No, it's not. Cleveland is a wonderful man and we care for each other, but marriage is such a big step. I hate the idea of living away from Santa Rosa the rest of my life. Now tell me something, Troymif I desperately wanted to marry Cleve, would it matter to me where I lived?"
Troy's brows rose. "I see your point."
As they discussed the matter Bobbie suddenly noticed a pair of her brother's jeans lying on the table next to the newspaper.
"I take it these need mending."
"They might after you put them on."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bobbie's voice was indignant.
"Only that you probably won't fit as easily into my jeans as you once did for our camping trips."
"We're going camping?" Bobbie whispered, her voice and face radiating excitement.
"That's the plan." Troy answered her calmly, but inde
he was as excited as his sister.
"When do we leave?"
"Since you don't have to be to work until Monday, we'll head out Friday afternoon and come back sometime Sunday."
Bobbie wanted to jump around the kitchen like a kid out of school. How she had missed the camping trips with her dad and brother! They continued to discuss the camping trip and then Troy said he had to leave for work.
As Time Goes By 51
Enjoying the feel of home once again, Bobbie stayed at the kitchen table for a long time. Her thoughts wandered and then centered on her family, primarily her sister Alice.
Alice had been pregnant when Bobbie left for Jenner and surprised everyone with twins. The twins had just turned five and Bobbie had never seen them, something she planned on changing that very afternoon.
Maryanne came in a short time later, and mother and
daughter sat over coffee and talked like old friends. "How is your Aunt Joanne?"
"When I left she was crying but she's doing well. I know she hopes I'll be back before the summer is out, as Mrs. Cleveland Ramsey."
'amd what do you hope?" Maryanne inquired of her daughter.
"That Cleve will suddenly want to move to Santa Rosa."
"That
"Hi, Bobbie," the young man finally said, his voice as deep as Jake's.
"Hi, brat," Bobbie said fondly. Another moment passed and then Troy grabbed her and squeezed her tight. They laughed and talked nonstop for the next hour before
49
48 Lori Wick
Bobbie told her family she was going to be too tired to walk the stairs if she didn't go to bed.
"Have you told her about our plans for the weekend?" Troy said softly as his sister started out of the room.
"No," Jake said when he was sure she couldn't hear. "I thought I'd surprise her over breakfast."
The three remaining in the living room shared a conspiratorial grin and then sat in silence and listened to the floor creak above them as Bobbie readied for bed. Marynne couldn't remember when anything sounded so sweet.
seven
"It'sabout time you got up." Bobbie was greeted by her brother's voice and she smiled sleepily at him.
"I'd forgotten how soft that bed was," Bobbie commented as she poured herself a cup of coffee and joined him at the kitchen table. "Where is everyone?"
"Dad's working and Mom ran uptown. She thought you might want to go but decided to let you sleep."
Bobbie moved from the table and began to fix herself some breakfast. She had eggs in the pan when she asked Troy a question that had been on her mind since last night.
"So tell me, Troy, how long have you been seeing Carla Johnson?"
"Yesterday was the third time."
"Where do you and Carla usually go?'"
"Last night her folks asked me to supper and then we played a game. The times before that we just went for a walk."
Bobbie grinned and they continued to talk. There wasn't really much catching up to do, since they had all kept as close as the mail would allow.
50
"Did Cleve see you off?" Troy asked.
"No, just Uncle Jasper and Aunt Joanne. I'm kind of glad he didn't."
"You're not sure, are you? I mean, nothing is deft-nite?"
"No, it's not. Cleveland is a wonderful man and we care for each other, but marriage is such a big step. I hate the idea of living away from Santa Rosa the rest of my life. Now tell me something, Troymif I desperately wanted to marry Cleve, would it matter to me where I lived?"
Troy's brows rose. "I see your point."
As they discussed the matter Bobbie suddenly noticed a pair of her brother's jeans lying on the table next to the newspaper.
"I take it these need mending."
"They might after you put them on."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bobbie's voice was indignant.
"Only that you probably won't fit as easily into my jeans as you once did for our camping trips."
"We're going camping?" Bobbie whispered, her voice and face radiating excitement.
"That's the plan." Troy answered her calmly, but inde
he was as excited as his sister.
"When do we leave?"
"Since you don't have to be to work until Monday, we'll head out Friday afternoon and come back sometime Sunday."
Bobbie wanted to jump around the kitchen like a kid out of school. How she had missed the camping trips with her dad and brother! They continued to discuss the camping trip and then Troy said he had to leave for work.
As Time Goes By 51
Enjoying the feel of home once again, Bobbie stayed at the kitchen table for a long time. Her thoughts wandered and then centered on her family, primarily her sister Alice.
Alice had been pregnant when Bobbie left for Jenner and surprised everyone with twins. The twins had just turned five and Bobbie had never seen them, something she planned on changing that very afternoon.
Maryanne came in a short time later, and mother and
daughter sat over coffee and talked like old friends. "How is your Aunt Joanne?"
"When I left she was crying but she's doing well. I know she hopes I'll be back before the summer is out, as Mrs. Cleveland Ramsey."
'amd what do you hope?" Maryanne inquired of her daughter.
"That Cleve will suddenly want to move to Santa Rosa."
"That
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