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hand to Charissa’s family, although it probably looked
more like he was brandishing her suitcase at them. “Uncle Eliot and
Aunt Tess are here too.”
    Charissa didn’t release his hand.
    They strolled toward the family who took a
few steps as well toward them. Monica was absolutely beaming, and
Eliot and Tess were grinning happily.
    “There’s my girl!” Eliot nearly shouted. He
was a tall man with a barrel chest and thick blonde hair. He was
wearing his usual attire of blue jeans and a polo shirt. “How’d you
like your train ride?”
    “Welcome home, sweetie!” Tess, a full-figured
woman with shoulder-length brown hair, bent over to place herself
more at Charissa’s level. “We’re all so happy to see you!”
    Monica seemed overcome with joy. Her eyes
kept blinking and her hands were clasped together against her
chest. Shad had already informed Charissa that her mother would
look a little different from the last time the girl had seen her.
In seven weeks, her condition probably aggravated by the trauma of
losing her daughter, Monica had lost more weight and the joints of
her bones seemed to protrude a little. The billowy red blouse and
long white skirt she wore helped to conceal how thin she really
was.
    Charissa’s grip on his hand tightened even
more as Shad halted before her mother.
    “Here we are, Monica.” Shad nodded to her,
then cast a quick glance toward Eliot. “Nice to see you found a way
to make it to the station sometime today.”
    Eliot started going into a story about how
the mare got tangled in barbed wire but Shad didn’t really hear
him. Monica was lowering herself to her knees and Charissa’s grip
in his hand managed to become even tighter. Shad wondered if she’d
be able to cut off the circulation to his fingers.
    “I’m so happy to see you, baby.” When Monica
finally spoke her voice was hardly more than a whisper, making it
even more difficult for Shad to understand her through Eliot’s
monologue. “Having you back is an answer to my prayers. Did you
have a good trip on the train?”
    Charissa stared at her mother’s slightly
gaunt face for a few seconds before silently nodding.
    Monica glanced up at Shad briefly before
returning her gaze to her daughter. “I see you’ve made friends with
Mr. Delaney.”
    After a few seconds of Charissa’s silence,
Shad cleared his throat slightly before speaking. “Actually, she
fired me.”
    A bemused expression crossed Monica’s face as
she looked up toward Shad again. Eliot’s voice was becoming quiet
because Tess was tapping her husband on his arm.
    Monica’s attention returned to Charissa.
“We’re gonna need Mr. Delaney for a while, honey.”
    “Two weeks.” Charissa’s grip relaxed and her
voice was soft yet firm.
    Monica tilted her head slightly. “What was
that?”
    “Two weeks.” Charissa pulled her hand away
and used it instead to reposition her day pack. “He said I had to
give him two weeks....” She glanced up questionably at Shad.
    “Notice.”
    Monica’s gaze returned to Shad again, and for
the first time ever since he’d met her she began to chuckle. The
mirth rippled slowly and softly from her, and in those few seconds
Monica seemed like she just might manage to beat this cancer after
all. The renewed animation clung to her as Monica’s attention
returned to Charissa.
    “I do admit he takes some getting used to.”
Monica’s face was aglow with both joy and amusement. “But you seem
to be getting along with him now.”
    Charissa frowned slightly. “He’s still
fired.”
    Monica’s brow furrowed a bit as she glanced
up at Shad.
    “Don’t worry.” Shad didn’t want the situation
to become more significant than it actually was. “She just needs
time to get settled in.”
    Monica’s frown vanished. “Of course, you’re
right. Just like you’ve been all along.” She beamed at Charissa
again. “You’re back with your real family, now. You’re back with
the people who are gonna take care of