Times and Seasons Read Online Free Page B

at the front of Sylvia’s yard was covered with a rose vine and jasmine, and the scent seemed to hover in the air as the warm, gentle breeze stirred it. A beautiful day for a shower.
    “Poor Cathy,” Sylvia said. “This was supposed to be such a happy day. I was so looking forward to it.”
    “So was she,” Tory said as Brenda backed the truck into the driveway. “Leave it to Mark.”
    Brenda got out and opened the tailgate. “Why would he do this, today of all days?”
    “Because he’s a brat, that’s why,” Tory said.
    “Tory!” Brenda said.
    Tory realized that Brenda had a stake in Mark’s life, since she had home-schooled him for the last year and a half. He had turned Brenda’s peaceful, ordered life into something unpredictable. Mark’s disruptive influence had forced Brenda to come up with skills she’d never thought she’d need. But Tory had to hand it to her. She had done a good job with him.
    And now this.
    They unloaded the truck at Cathy’s, counting thirty-two gifts, which they laid on the dining room floor. Maybe the gifts would cheer Cathy up when she got home, Tory thought. Maybe it would be a good distraction from the boy’s trouble.
    When they were finished, Tory hurried home and burst in, expecting to hear Hannah’s weary cries. But there was no wailing. Instead, she heard Hannah’s giggle.
    She hurried into the living room and saw Barry lying flat on the floor, with the baby draped on his calves. He was doing leg lifts with her, holding her hands and raising her up, then lowering her quickly.
    The baby was gurgling with laughter.
    But Tory didn’t find it funny. “Barry! What are you doing?”
    Her words startled the baby, and Hannah started to cry. He sat up and lifted the baby. “You scared her. Why did you yell like that?”
    Tory crossed the room and took the baby from him. Hannah was still small; she looked ten months old, rather than fifteen. Her development was slow. She couldn’t sit up alone or crawl yet, her muscle tone was weak, and her joints were loose.
    It took a moment for the baby to realize she had changed hands, and her crying ceased as Tory kissed her and bounced her. “Barry, you can’t roughhouse like that. She’s too fragile. Her neck isn’t strong enough.”
    He got to his feet. “It’s not going to get strong unless she uses it. I was doing it just like the physical therapist told me. She was fine.”
    “But you were being too rough.”
    “She liked it, Tory. She’s not a doll. She likes to have fun just like Brittany and Spencer did.” He pressed a kiss on the baby’s plump cheek. “We had fun, didn’t we, Hannah? Daddy was making you fly.”
    Tory saw her smile, and she tried to calm down. “I’m sorry I yelled,” she said. She shifted Hannah in her arms, so that she held the baby’s legs together instead of allowing them to straddleher hip. They had to make accommodations for Hannah’s loose hips, in hopes of avoiding a brace.
    “Tory, you have to trust me. She’s my daughter, too.”
    “I know,” she said. “I’m overprotective. Tell me how to stop and I will.” The hurt look on Barry’s face registered, and she quickly changed the subject. “Well, the shower was canceled. Mark got arrested.”
    Barry’s jaw dropped. “What did he do?”
    “He was charged with drug distribution.”
    “Is this a joke?”
    “No. Who knows what the real story is?” She sat down in the rocker with Hannah. The baby’s mouth opened, and her tongue slipped out. Tory touched it to make her pull it back in. “Anyway, Cathy and Steve ran off to the police station, so we had to cancel.” She leaned her head back. “I don’t know why I’m so tired when I didn’t do anything.”
    “You’re tired because you don’t sleep. You worry too much about Hannah.” He took the baby out of her lap, carefully holding her legs the way the physical therapist had taught them. “Why don’t you go lie down? Hannah and I were all geared up for a dad and