Winnie Griggs - The Hand-Me-Down Family

Jack stood and moved to one of the windows. “Still, I’m very beholden,” he said without turning around.

“I just thank the Lord I had the means to step in.” She refilled Callie’s glass. “But back to your question. The tragedy has affected each of them differently. Simon has turned from an active, outgoing boy to one who is belligerent and aloof.”

She waved a hand. “Emma has always been a quiet child, but now she clings to Simon like bark to a tree. She can barely stand to have him out of her sight for more than a few minutes. Simon is taking his role of big brother seriously—too seriously, if you ask me. He insisted I set his cot in the room with the girls when Emma balked at separating from him even in sleep.”

“And Annabeth?”

Mrs. Mayweather sighed. “I’m not certain. Bless her, she was just beginning to move on from the loss of her mother, then this happened. She misses her father terribly, of course. But the child, who’s normally quite the little chatterbox, has barely said a word since the accident, except in answer to a direct question.”

Callie twisted her hands nervously in her skirts. “Do you think she knows? About me, I mean.”

Mrs. Mayweather gave her a sympathetic smile. “If so, she hasn’t given any sign. But, as I mentioned, she hasn’t said more than a handful of words since her father passed. Besides, even if Leland did say something to her, she may not have understood. She’s only four, after all.”

Jack turned to face them and crossed his arms. “It doesn’t matter whether she knows or not. Like I said, Annabeth is my concern now.”

Callie carefully set her glass down, resisting the urge to retort in kind. Lord, give me patience. Please!

She caught a measuring look Mrs. Mayweather gave the two of them.

The woman stood. “Well, I can tell the children certainly won’t want for family willing to take them in. You two help yourselves to more lemonade while I let them know you’re here.”

Jack’s expression gave nothing away, but she saw him rub the back of his neck. Was he as nervous about facing the children for the first time as she was?

Moments later, Callie’s entire being focused on the sound of footsteps tromping down the stairs.

Simon entered first, looking both ready to take on the world and achingly vulnerable at the same time. His sister, Emma, was close by his side, her arm wound tightly with his, her eyes wide and uncertain.

But it was the third and youngest of the children that captured Callie’s attention. The little girl hung back a bit while still holding on to Emma’s other hand.

Callie would have been able to pick Annabeth out of a ballroom full of little girls. She looked so much like Julia it made her heart ache. The same bouncy blond curls, the same bright blue eyes, the same pink bow of a mouth.

Mrs. Mayweather spoke up first. “Children, remember I told you that your Uncle Jack would be coming?” She made a flourishing movement with her hand. “Well, here he is.”

Then she gestured toward Callie. “And we also have a surprise visitor.”

Annabeth stared at Callie with wide, questioning eyes. Was it possible the child was expecting her after all?

Simon, however, seemed to be the designated spokesman for the trio. He completely ignored Callie as he gave Jack an assessing look. “So you’re our Uncle Jack.”

Jack strode to the middle of the room. “That’s right. And I’ve come to take care of you.” He smiled at the two girls. “All of you.”

None of the three returned Jack’s smile.

“Momma talked about you some.” Simon’s tone hadn’t softened. “And she read your letters to us when they came.” His eyes narrowed. “It made her sad that you never came around.”

To Callie’s surprise, Jack didn’t attempt to make excuses.

Instead he nodded and walked right up to his nephew. “I’m sorry about that—more sorry than you can rightly know. I should have been a better brother to both her and your Uncle Lanny.” He laid a hand on Simon’s shoulder. “But I’m here now.”

Simon didn’t seem appeased. “She said you had to move around a lot ’cause you work for the railroad.” The boy put a protective arm around his sister’s shoulder. “Does that mean we have to travel around the country with you?”

Callie found herself as interested as Simon was to hear Jack’s answer.

Jack took a minute, stepping back and crossing his arms again. “Well, now, I plan to stay right here in Sweetgum for the time being. We’re going to stick together, just like families are supposed to.”

Emma sidled closer to her brother’s side, drawing Annabeth with her. “But where are we going to live? Our house is all gone now.” Her voice was so soft Callie had to lean forward to hear her.

Jack nodded solemnly. “I know, and I’ve been giving that some thought. Your house may be gone but Annabeth’s house is still sound. And I’ll just bet she’d be glad to let us all live there with her.”

Annabeth, who hadn’t yet taken her eyes off Callie, turned to Emma. “Oh, yes,” she said, nodding her head emphatically. “There’s lots and lots of room there. You could even bring Cookie and nobody would care how much he barked out there.”

“There now.” Jack gave Emma an encouraging smile. “You’ve been to Annabeth’s house before, haven’t you? It’s the same house your momma lived in when she was your age.”

Emma nodded, tentatively responding to Jack’s smile.

But Simon was far from won over. “Annabeth’s house is on a farm way out in the country. All of our friends live here in town.”

Annabeth’s face crumpled into a hurt expression. “But Simon, it’s a very nice house. Don’t you want to come live with me?”

Emma gave her young cousin’s hand a squeeze. “Simon didn’t mean anything by that. Of course he likes your house.” She gave her brother a little nudge. “Don’t you?”

Simon gave a grudging nod.

Appeased, Annabeth turned her attention back to Callie. She let go of Emma’s hand and took a tentative step forward, her head cocked at a questioning angle. “Are you going to come live with us, too?”

Callie clasped her hands together tightly, fighting the urge to reach out for the child. She didn’t want to frighten her. “Would you like for me to?”

Annabeth crossed the room and stopped directly in front of her. With pudgy fingers that weren’t quite clean, she reached up and started to push aside Callie’s bonnet.

Callie’s first instinct was to pull back, to stop the child from revealing the hidden ugliness. But something about the hope in the little girl’s expression changed her mind.

Forcing herself to sit completely still, Callie held her breath and waited for Annabeth’s reaction.

As soon as the bonnet fell back, Callie heard a startled gasp from Emma and peripherally noted the way Simon’s eyes widened.

But Annabeth’s response was entirely unexpected.

A large smile blossomed on her face and she touched the discolored skin almost reverently. “It’s you,” she said, her voice tinged with delight. “You finally came.”

Callie’s heart hitched painfully as she expelled the breath she’d been holding. “Annabeth, do you know who I am?”

The child nodded emphatically. “Oh, yes. You’re the lady Daddy said was going to come live with us, to be my new mommy.” Her face took on a more somber expression. “I was so scared you wouldn’t come since Daddy wasn’t here anymore.”

“Oh, sweetheart, there wasn’t any reason to worry.” Callie smoothed the child’s hair. “I came here as much to be with you as with your daddy.”

Callie’s heart lightened at this further evidence that Leland had never wavered in his commitment to keep his promise. “So, your daddy told you about me?”