The Backup Plan Read Online Free Page A

life and her mother’s family’s before that, immediately rushed to take them from her. “What do you think you’re doing?” she scolded. “You trying to get me fired? Tidying up is what I do around here.”
    Dinah grinned at her. “We both know you do a whole lot more than that. You keep this place running. You hold this family together.”
    Maybelle swept her into a hug, one of many she’d readily dispensed since Dinah’s homecoming. “Lordy, but I’ve missed you. You’ve been away too long, girl. It’s about time you came back to see us. Some of us, we ain’t getting any younger, you know.”
    Though she looked ageless with her smooth brown complexion, Maybelle had to be at least seventy-five. She’d been almost twenty when she’d gone to work for Adelaide Rawlings when Dinah’s mother was born. That was fifty-five years ago.
    Dinah grinned at her now. “Who’re you kidding, Maybelle? You’ll outlive all of us.”
    â€œEspecially if you keep getting in the way of them guns and bombs,” the housekeeper chided. “That close call you had ’bout gave me a heart attack. Never saw the sense of you doing such a thing. Thought we raised you to be smarter.”
    Dinah met the dark brown eyes of the woman who’d been such a constant in her life. A sudden need to unburden herself nearly overwhelmed her. Maybelle hadalways patiently listened to every one of her childhood hopes, dreams and heartaches.
    â€œCan I tell you something you can’t repeat to anyone?” Dinah asked.
    â€œYou askin’ if I can keep a secret? I’ve kept enough for you and that brother of yours, don’t you think?”
    Dinah laughed. “Yes, I suppose you have.”
    â€œSo what’s one more?”
    â€œI might not go back,” Dinah said, testing the words.
    â€œWell, praise the Lord and hallelujah!” Maybelle said exuberantly. “That’s the best news I’ve had in years. Why you want to keep such a thing a secret?”
    Dinah regarded her sadly. “Is it good news?”
    â€œIf it means my baby’s gonna be safe, then it’s good news to me.” She gave Dinah a penetrating look. “You don’t seem too happy about it, though. You quit or get yourself fired?”
    â€œI quit, but no one around here’s to know that. I don’t expect you to lie for me, but hem and haw if anyone asks, at least for now.” She gave Maybelle a stern look. “Promise?”
    â€œI gave you my word, didn’t I?” She hugged Dinah again. “Whatever’s going on with you, you’ll work it out. I know how you like to mull things over in that head of yours. But if there comes a time when you need someone to talk to, I’m here, same as always.”
    â€œThank you. I love you.”
    â€œAnd I love you, same as all those children I gave birth to, and those grandbabies and great-grandbabies that are coming along,” Maybelle told her. “You’re family to me.”
    Tears welled up in Dinah’s eyes. She swiped at them impatiently. “Now you’ve gone and made me cry,” sheteased. “I’ll have to redo my makeup before I go out in public or Mother will be totally humiliated.”
    â€œSince when you put on makeup?” Maybelle asked wryly. “Your mama cares way too much about stuff that don’t matter a hoot to anybody but her and those social-climbing women she spends her days with.” At Dinah’s amused look, Maybelle added, “And don’t think I wouldn’t say the same thing right to her face. I knew her when she was in diapers, too.”
    â€œAh, Maybelle, you keep telling us like it is. Maybe one of these days we’ll all get our priorities sorted out.”
    Maybelle laughed. “You, maybe, but I think it’s too late for that brother of yours. He’s fallen into the same pattern as your