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evaporated
milk in the blender and milkshakes for breakfast averted the crisis. With
Amanda now on the couch with a shake and watching cartoons, Lindsey returned to
the bedroom. David and Rachel were sound asleep. Tiptoeing back out of the
room, she made her shopping list and called it in to the market, hoping for
delivery later in the afternoon.
    Refilling Amanda’s cup, Lindsey nestled into the corner of
the sofa, Amanda snuggling into her side. Maybe the day could be salvaged after
all.
    *****
    With the whole family awake and happy, David entertained the
girls by dancing to The Wiggles in the living room while Lindsey unpacked
suitcases and sorting everything into piles. The laundry got shoved in the
wicker basket in the bathroom, the clean clothes were quickly put away in
dressers and closets, and souvenirs were put in the spare room until Lindsey
could decide what to do with them later. The gifts for her foster mother and
David’s parents she left on the bed. They would probably go and see Trudy on
Saturday, and they would see Peter and Maureen on Sunday.
    With the bag of art supplies in her hand, Lindsey opened the
door to David’s studio and stepped inside. The huge canvas stood directly in
front of her. David had started it before they’d left on vacation, and although
it was not finished, Lindsey already loved it. Staring back at her were two
sets of beautiful blue eyes, with auburn ringlets tumbling over small
shoulders. He had the amazing talent of capturing such emotion and personality
in his paintings. This particular piece was going to Peter. David still had to
add the whimsical elements to it, and then the “sprites” would be ready for
Grandpa. That’s what he called his two little granddaughters – sprites. David
had taken the idea and created this magical painting that she was sure Peter
would treasure. She couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw it for the first
time. Both Peter and Maureen doted on all their grandchildren, but Peter had
something a little extra for all his little granddaughters. He had six now and
each one adored him, too.
    Lindsey placed the bag on the desk and left the painting
behind her as she closed the door and went to join in the silliness in the
living room. Dance parties were a regular occurrence at this Lathem home. She
had no idea David was such a good dancer when she’d married him. She loved to
watch his moves and so did the girls. But she didn’t get the chance because the
buzzer sounded. Their groceries had arrived!
    Lindsey waited by the door and let the delivery man in with
all the bags and generously tipped him on his way out. As she put cartons of
milk in the fridge, Amanda got a hold of the remote and turned up the volume on
the television, prompting Lindsey to cover her ears. Rachel screamed with
delight and jumped right into the coffee table, smacking her forehead and
bounced off, falling to the ground screaming in pain. David leapt to his baby
girl and scooped her up checking her for blood.
    “No blood!” he yelled, as Lindsey scrambled for the remote.
Amanda ran in the opposite direction, delighted with the game now in play.
    “Amanda!” Lindsey yelled. “Give me the remote control!”
Amanda just laughed louder and ran faster.
    It was at that moment that the phone rang. With the
television screeching, Amanda laughing almost uncontrollably, Rachel screaming
and holding her head, it was a surprise Lindsey heard it. Running to the TV,
she pushed the power button, eliminating one of the noises and ran to the
phone. It was Janie.
    “Hi, Janie! How are you?”

6.
Ben & Sophia
    Ben awoke to the all-too familiar sounds coming from the
master bathroom. Heaving, wrenching, and vomiting. The sounds broke his heart….just
as it did every time he heard his wife being sick. Alas, he was used to it by
now. In the four years they’d been married, Sophia had spent many months of it
in the bathroom, worshipping the porcelain god. Having recently received