Read Raising Rain for Free Online Page B

surprised when Rain explained simply that Hayden couldn’t come. She had brought a container of store-bought black bean salsa and whole-grain corn chips. Bebe gave her a hug before she went out to the backyard. Bebe grabbed a chip-and-dip serving bowl from the cupboard, as she knew her mother wouldn’t want the containers on the table.
    Rain was friendly to the family, but reserved, as Bebe knew she would be. Theirs was the only extended family Rain had known growing up.
    Bebe went to the laundry porch for a few more tomatoes, and saw Rain lean in to give Neil a big hug. He kissed her on the cheek and Bebe smiled. She was so beautiful—like a daughter to them both. Sometimes, she had to remind herself that Rain wasn’t a young girl anymore.
    When Rain first moved in with Hayden, they saw less of her, partly because Hayden had some family in the area, and partly because Bebe’s parents didn’t approve of Rain’s living arrangements, being unmarried. There had been a huge blowup between Bebe and her parents when they found out. Bebe defended Rain’s right to make her own choices, even if she didn’t agree, and pointed out how unchristian it would be to withdraw their love from her considering her unorthodox upbringing with Jude. In the end, at least her mother appeared to offer Rain her unconditional love.

    Rain was aware of the tension that infused the room when Bobby walked in. He came in just as the food was set out and shotgunned a general hello to everyone, except that he skipped right over Bebe, who managed to step out of the room for something. Karen hugged him and asked how he was doing. His mother tugged his shoulder down so she could kiss his cheek, and then scolded him for being late. After Bebe’s dad said a blessing over the food, Rain watched Bobby fill his plate and head out to the backyard. She was a nonentity to him, due to some fortunate twist of fate. He was moody and pampered by his mother, even though he was older than Bebe, to whom he rarely spoke. There had been some major blowup between them in their younger years that no one ever spoke of. A little family dirty laundry, Rain guessed.
    â€œHey, Rain,” Scott greeted her as he lined up next to her with his Chinette plate.
    â€œScotty, how are you doing? Are you getting nervous?” she asked, spooning macaroni salad onto her plate.
    â€œNaw. I’ve been working out since February.” He sounded hyper like he’d pounded an energy drink. Too much testosterone in the backyard.
    He loaded two hamburgers onto his plate. “I’m up to eleven pullups and three miles a day.” He spooned Jello salad next to his burgers. “I think I’m good.”
    One of the cousins behind Scott called down the table to where Bebe was setting out baked beans. “Aunt Bebe, you want to hear something funny? When I was little I thought you were a soldier like Uncle Bobby, you know, because Mom said you were a vet. Stupid, huh?” He laughed and Rain glanced up when the conversation around them skipped a beat.
    â€œThat’s funny, Mike,” Bebe said, forcing a smile before she turned back to the house.
    Rain raised her voice. “Will they let you receive packages, Scotty?” she asked, deftly turning the attention back to him. “I’ll send you some power bars, if you want.”
    â€œDon’t know. I’ll find out and write to mom.”
    â€œYou need to do that a lot, you know? She’s going to miss you.”
    He nodded. “Yeah, I know. She cried when I told her I signed up.” He scooped up four chocolate chip cookies with his thumb and forefinger. “I gotta load up on these. It will be thirteen weeks before I get them again.” Then he called, “Hey Grandma, you made kuchen, didn’t you?”
    â€œPeach and apricot. They’re for later.”
    â€œThanks, Grandma.”
    â€œAnd don’t get into them until they’re