Linda Warren - The Right Woman

Sarah clung to her sister, then she did something out of character. She burst into tears.

Serena just held her.

Finally, Sarah pulled away and brushed away tears. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little emotional or I’m just really glad to see you.”

Serena looked into her eyes. “Sarah, what is it?”

Sarah blinked and admitted something that she hadn’t been able to before. “I need to talk. I need help.”

SARAH QUICKLY GOT HERSELF under control. “I don’t want Jassy to see me crying. We’ll talk later.”

“Are you sure?” Serena asked with a worried frown. “Ethan’s an expert at taking care of our daughter.”

“Yes. Right now I just want to enjoy my family.”

Arm-in-arm they walked into the house. Ethan immediately got up and hugged Sarah. Tall and lanky, with dark good looks, Ethan was one of a kind. He’d been shot in the hip while working for the FBI and now walked with a slight limp, but since he was in such good shape it was hardly noticeable. If she had to use a word to describe Ethan, it would be honorable.

Daniel was a lot like that. Where did that thought come from?

“See, Daddy,” Jassy said, crawling into Ethan’s lap. “I told you Sari was here. I saw her first.”

Ethan pulled her ponytail. “Yes, you did.”

“Were you surprised to see me, Sari?” Jassy asked.

“Yes.”

“Mommy said we were going to surprise you.”

“You certainly did that. Gran and I were concerned. We both tried calling and got no answer.”

“I called last night and before six this morning,” Gran told them.

Ethan looked lovingly at Serena. “Serena was feeling a little down yesterday so I took her out to dinner last night. That didn’t help a whole lot and I knew it was time for a visit. We were on the road at three this morning.”

“Isn’t he wonderful?” Serena asked of no one in particular, her eyes on her husband.

“Daddy Says gets my vote for wonderful,” Sarah teased.

“We love Daddy,” Jassy chirped in. “Daddy says he put me in the truck, but I don’t ’member. Daddy says I was sleeping like a log.”

“I’m just so glad you’re here. I was feeling a little down, too, and I needed this. But I haven’t had a chance to do the housework or anything.”

“It’s all done.” Serena smiled.

“What?”

“Gran was doing laundry when we got here so I helped her finish, then I made the beds and put linens in our room. I dusted, mopped and vacuumed. Ethan took out the trash and swept outside.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted us to have a chance to visit and now we do.” Serena linked an arm through Sarah’s.

Almost on cue, Ethan stood. “I’ll take Jassy and see if I can track down Daniel. I haven’t talked to him in a while.”

Sarah’s heart skipped a beat. Should she tell Ethan that Daniel was quitting his job? No. She’d let Daniel do that.

“What about lunch?”

Jassy clapped her hands. “I’m gonna get a Happy Meal. Mommy said I could.”

Ethan grimaced. “Daddy’s really looking forward to this.”

Jassy heard the displeasure in Ethan’s voice. Her bottom lip dropped. “Mommy said I could.”

Serena quickly took her out of Ethan’s arms and kissed her. “Yes, my baby. Since you did so well in your gymnastics class I said you could have a treat.”

“I jump real high, don’t I, Mommy?”

“Higher than anyone else.”

“And I can turn a flip, too.” She looked at Sarah. “Wanna see?”

Serena held her tighter to keep her from getting down. “You can put your shorts on tonight and show Sari and Gran everything you can do. I think Daddy’s ready to go.” Serena kissed her again. “Have a good time.”

Ethan took Jassy from Serena, giving his wife a lingering kiss in the process. “See you later,” he whispered to Serena, then walked out the door with Jassy talking non-stop.

Sarah opened the refrigerator. “I made chicken salad last night so I wouldn’t have to cook today. I’ll cut up some fruit and we’ll have lunch.”

“I’ll make the tea,” Serena offered.

For the next thirty minutes they were busy preparing and eating the meal. Gran sat back and smiled.

“It’s so good to have my girls together, but now I’m going to take a nap. I haven’t worked this hard in ages.”

After Gran left, they cleaned the kitchen. Sarah poured more tea into their cups. “Let’s go into the den.”

Serena curled up in a comfortable chair and Sarah sat on the sofa. She kicked off her shoes and drew up her knees.

Serena sipped her tea and waited.

“How are things in Junction Flat?” Sarah asked, unable to say the words she wanted to, had to, say.

“Great. I love the peace and quiet and I love teaching.”

“I don’t have to ask how you and Ethan are doing. You’re still so in love.”

“Yes.” Serena grinned. “That will never change, but no marriage is perfect. We have problems, too.”

“Ethan’s overprotectiveness with Jassy?”

Serena brushed back her hair. “It was such a battle to let her take gymnastics and it all stems from his fear of losing her like he lost Ryan. His son was about Jassy’s age when he fell off those boxes and died from the injuries to his head.”

“It has to be devastating to lose a child.”

“Yes, and Ethan knows he goes overboard. He’s just so afraid, but I’ve told him that we can’t keep her locked up away from the world. We have to let her grow.”

“What did he say?”

“He understands, but it’s difficult for him to do. I explained the running and jumping would be good for her. She’d learn how to fall.”

“Did he agree?”

“Not for an instant and he was so nervous watching her I thought I’d have to tie him to his seat.”

“He just loves her,” Sarah said.

“Yes. Ethan loves very deeply. That’s one of the things I love most about him.”

“You’re very lucky.”

“Hmm.” Serena’s eyes grew dreamy. “And I have a solution to our problem.”

“What?”

“Another baby.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Does Ethan agree?” Ethan had gone through such pain over losing his son that he’d never wanted to have another child. It had taken Serena a year before she was convinced that he was ready.

“Let’s just say I’m working on him. He spends all day with Jassy and when she starts school, he’s going to be lost without her. Another child would definitely divide his attention and worry.”

As Sarah listened, she wished her life was that simple, her problems so easy to solve. Serena and Ethan loved each other and they would work out their differences, but Sarah feared her pain was too deep to ever assuage. She had to try, though. She couldn’t stay in denial forever.

Serena watched her for a moment. “My life’s not what you wanted to talk about. What’s wrong, Sarah?”

Sarah rested her chin on her knees and stared down at her toes. She used to paint her nails, but she hadn’t done that in years.

“Sarah—” Serena prompted.

She took a long breath. “I’ve told you so many times that I’m fine. I realized today that I’m not.”

“What happened?”

Sarah told her about Brooke Wallace.

“How awful.”

“It is,” Sarah agreed. “When she asked me if the shame and horror would ever go away, I should have been able to say yes. But I couldn’t honestly say that, and it shook me.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her that in time with a concentrated effort she could put it behind her and that she had to talk to people.” She shook her head. “I haven’t done any of that. I pushed what happened to me to the back of my mind and I’ve never really faced it or conquered all those bad feelings. Instead I’ve burrowed further and further inside myself until…” She stopped. “Do you know what the cops call me?”