Season of Change Read Online Free

the driveway, and a big silver-haired man with a ruddy face came out of the side door, waving enthusiastically, using broadarm motions to direct Lynn where to park. He looked just the same as he did two years ago when I met him at Daddy and Lynn’s wedding. His eyes and smile looked like Lynn’s.
    “He always tells me where to park,” Lynn said under her breath to Daddy. “It’s like I’m still learning how to drive.”
    “Now you know how I feel,” Diana said.
    “Oh, just roll with it.” Daddy squeezed Lynn’s arm.
    Did he say that in a mad voice or a joking voice? Was that arm squeeze a sign of affection, or a sign of annoyance? I wished I could stop overanalyzing every little thing.
    “Hi, Dad!” Lynn called as she climbed out of the car. She ran to him, and Grandpa Roberts enveloped her in a hug.
    Then he started hugging everyone, even me. “Now let me give this beautiful young lady a hug, too,” he said, and soon crushed me in his warm, muscular arms.
    Grandma Roberts, a tiny white-haired lady, came out onto the porch. “There you are!” she cried. “I thought you would never get here!”
    “But we’re not late, Mom,” Lynn said.
    “I know, I was just so eager for you to come I hardly knew what to do with myself. Come on and eat lunch! I have food ready.”
    “I told you we wouldn’t have time to eat,” Lynn said.
    “You have time for a little something.”
    “Norm and I have to get on the road. We have to check in this afternoon.”
    “At least you have time to come see the goose eggs we have down on our pontoon boat cover,” said Grandpa Roberts. “There’re seven of them. I think they’re going to hatch any day now. And then we’ll have little goslings!”
    “Goslings?” asked Diana. “Cool!”
    “Come in, come in,” Grandma Roberts said. “Grandpa’s early tomatoes are in, and I have some soup or you can just have tomato sandwiches.”
    Diana glanced at me and made a comical face. “I forgot to tell you about the tomatoes. The tomatoes that ate New York.”
    “Lynn and I can only stay a few minutes,” Norm said. “We really appreciate you all keeping the kids.”
    “Oh, we love it!” exclaimed Grandpa Roberts.
    There was no saying no. In a few minutes, we were sitting around Grandma Roberts’ table eating tomato vegetable soup. Grandma Roberts said how pleased they were to have me here with them, and she laid her small, cool hand on my arm.
    “Well, I just think every married couple needs to have a little time together,” said Grandma Roberts. “I’m so glad you two are going away for a few days.And don’t you worry about the girls one bit, we are going to be fine, aren’t we?”
    I studied Daddy’s face, then Lynn’s. Had they told Grandpa and Grandma Roberts they were going to get marriage counseling? When they kept it a secret from us? Didn’t they think we were old enough to understand …?
    “So, Stephanie, what do you say?” Grandpa Roberts saying my name brought me out of my daydream. “Can you waterski? Kneeboard?”
    “No, sir.” I felt confusion and a twinge of panic. What had I missed? I didn’t dare even look at Daddy. I looked at my soup bowl. Daddy would think it was a fantastic idea for me to be an expert water skier when I came home from this weekend.
    “Excellent!” Grandpa Roberts said jovially. “We’ll go skiing late this afternoon, then, when the lake traffic has died down and the water is like glass. You’ll pop right up and be skiing like nobody’s business.”
    “Sounds great, Steph,” said Daddy. “Isn’t it great to have an experienced boat driver willing to take the time to teach you? Thanks, George.”
    My chest tightened. I knew it! I knew he would love the idea.
    “We don’t have to go today,” Diana jumped in. I shot her a look of gratitude.
    “Of course we do!” said Grandpa Roberts. “You girlsare going to have the time of your lives this weekend. We’ll have you kneeboarding and slaloming and jumping the