Sweet Memories Read Online Free Page A

sparrows, caught in the beam of light that lit the snow to glimmering crystals, twittered and searched for fallen seed at the base of the feeder pole. The far edge of the property was delineated by a line of evergreens that appeared almost black in the waning light. Their limbs were laden with white. Suddenly a blue jay darted from them, squawking in the crass, impertinent note of superiority only a blue jay can muster, scattering the sparrows as he landed among them, then cocking his head and disdaining the seeds he jealously guarded.
    “I wasn’t sure if I should come with Jeff. I felt a little like I was horning in, you know?”
    His hands were still buried in his trousers pockets, but she felt his eyes turn her way and hoped she wouldn’t blush while attempting to lie convincingly. “Don’t be silly, you’re not horning in.”
    “Any stranger in the house at this time of the year is like a fifth wheel. I know that, but I couldn’t resist Jeff’s invitation when I thought about spending two weeks with nothing to do but stare at the bare walls of the quarters and talk to myself.”
    “I’m glad you didn’t. Why, mother didn’t hesitate a minute when Jeff called and suggested bringing you home. Besides, we’ve all heard so much about you in Jeff’s letters, you hardly seem like a stranger. As a matter of fact, I believe  one  of us had a tiny bit of a crush on you even before you stepped out of the car in the driveway.”
    He laughed good-naturedly and shook his head at the floor as if slightly embarrassed, then rocked back on his heels. “It’s a good thing she isn’t six years older. She’s going to be a real knockout at twenty.”
    “Yes, I know. Everybody says so.”
    Brian heard no note of rancor in Theresa’s words, only a warm, sisterly pride. And he need not lower his eyes to her chest to see that as she spoke, her forearms unconsciously guarded her breasts more closely.
    Thanks for warning me, Brubaker,  he thought, recalling all that Jeff had told him about his sister.  But apparently Jeff told his family as much about my background as he told me about them,  he thought, as Theresa went on in a sympathetic note.
    “Jeff told us about your mother. I’m sorry. It must have been terrible to get the news about the plane crash.”
    He studied the snow again and shrugged. “In a way it was, in a way it wasn’t. We were never close after my dad died, and once she’d remarried, we didn’t get along at all. Her second husband thought I was a drug addict because I played rock music, and he didn’t waste any more time on me than was absolutely necessary.”
    She evaluated her own family, so warm, supportive, so full of love, and resisted the urge to lay a comforting hand on Brian’s arm. She felt guilty for the many times she’d wished Jeff wouldn’t bring him home. It had been thoroughly selfish, she chided herself, guarding her family’s Christmas from outsiders just as the jay guarded the seeds he didn’t want to eat.
    This time when she said the words, Theresa found they were utterly sincere. “We’re glad to have you here, Brian.”
     
     

Chapter Two
     
    “THEY’RE HOME!”  shouted Jeff overhead, then he stuck his head around the basement doorway and ordered, “Hey, you two, get up here!”
    As an outside observer, Brian couldn’t help envying Jeff Brubaker his family, for the greeting his friend received in the arms of his mother and father was an emotional display of honest love. Margaret Brubaker was hiking her rotund body out of the deep bucket seat of the low-slung Celica when Jeff swooped down on her. The grocery bag in her arms was unceremoniously dropped onto the snowy driveway in favor of hugs and kisses interspersed with tears, hellos and general exuberance while Willard Brubaker came around the car and took his turn—albeit with far fewer tears than his wife, but there was an undeniable glitter in his eye as he backed off and assessed Jeff.
    “Good to have you