Geri Krotow - Sasha's Dad

Another way this small town was keeping her at arm’s length. She didn’t want to resign herself to the status of “Natalie’s horrible best friend” so she abandoned the group after just one visit, along with any intention of trying it again. Victim wasn’t a role Claire had ever been fond of playing.

“I’m usually very busy with the llamas.”

Sasha smiled. “It’s fun. Or at least that’s what my friends’ moms say.”

“Maybe I’ll try it sometime.” Claire watched how Sasha kept looking at her hat.

“So, you knit?” Claire tossed the question at her.

“A little. My mom taught me, and Aunt Ginny tries to help me every now and then, but I’m better than she is.”

So Natalie had been a knitter. Claire remembered when they’d both gone through a brief crocheting phase, but had dropped that in favor of beading.

A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed her with memories she’d pushed down so far she thought she’d forgotten them. Staring at Natalie’s daughter certainly added to the poignancy of her recollections.

“Are you okay?”

“Hmm?” Claire shook her head and refocused her gaze on Sasha. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“You’re crushing your hat.”

Claire forced her hands to relax their grip. Sasha’s bold assessment should’ve made her laugh, since it was the same kind of attitude Natalie had possessed, an attitude that had made Claire laugh many times. But Claire felt her heart constrict. Sasha wasn’t Natalie, and Natalie wasn’t coming back.

“So, do you want to be a vet like your dad?”

Sasha wrinkled up her nose. “Not really. I don’t know. I love animals, of course, but I think I may want to be a lawyer.”

“A lawyer? My sister’s studying to be a lawyer.”

Sasha nodded. “She knows my aunt Ginny. They’re going to be in the same class. Aunt Ginny’s moving to Baltimore next week so she can take refresher courses or something.”

“I bet you’ll miss her.” It was common knowledge that Dutch’s sister had lived with him and Sasha since Natalie became too sick to care for herself. She’d stayed on after Natalie had passed away.

“Yeah, we’ll miss her. But Aunt Ginny needs to have her own life.”

Claire smiled. Sasha was obviously repeating what Dutch had told her, but she said it with such conviction, as if the words were her own.

“Hey, look!” Sasha’s joy-filled squeal startled Claire. Sasha pointed at the twin crias, who’d decided to jump around their pen as though it was seven in the morning and not evening.

“They’re a pair, all right,” Claire said. “The little one’s obviously improving. They’ve started to play together.”

“I want to get their picture.” Sasha reached into one jacket pocket, then the other, and frowned.

“Dad, I forgot my camera!”

Dutch looked at her from the side bench. He’d finished his exams and was packing up his kit.

“Sorry, kiddo. Better luck next time.”

Sasha giggled. “So I’ll come out with you tomorrow on your evening rounds, right? And we can bring Rascal with us?”

Claire stifled the laugh that rolled up her throat at Dutch’s pained expression. Clearly, Sasha’s spending time at Llama Fiber Haven was not in his game plan.

Dutch lowered his eyebrows and looked at Sasha. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Okay.” Sasha turned back to Claire. “What are their names?”

“I have no idea. I keep trying to come up with something. So far nothing’s stuck.” She didn’t want to tell Sasha that she wasn’t completely sure the younger cria was going to make it, and with Stormy still at risk, naming the twins wasn’t a priority.

“Why don’t you name them now?” Sasha watched the baby llamas, her eyes full of sparkle and life. Claire wondered if her own eyes had ever been that young.

“Well…” Claire hedged. Dutch was almost done—maybe she could put off the naming until Sasha came back. She’d be ready for both of them next time, perhaps even have a treat for Sasha. Especially with Ginny moving, Sasha might enjoy some pampering. Claire knew Sasha probably had more than enough attention from Dutch’s parents, but now that Sasha had identified Claire as one of her mother’s childhood friends, it would be nice to offer Sasha some comfort.

“Look! He keeps nipping at her side, to get her to play.” Sasha giggled again. “And she tucks her head in and hides from him.”

“Until she decides to give him a kick—she did earlier today.” Claire laughed at Sasha’s infectious enthusiasm.

“Why don’t you call them Nip and Tuck?” the girl suggested.

“Sounds good to me.” Claire turned back to the llamas. “Hey, Tuck, stop bothering Nip!” She smiled at Sasha. “Perfect.”

“Hey, Nip, go ahead and kick Tuck!” Sasha got into the act and stepped closer to Claire. Claire looked down at her new friend. Same hair color as Natalie, same wit as Dutch. But Sasha was very much her own person. Dutch was going to have his hands full raising her through the teenage years.

Claire looked up from Sasha and over at the llamas. Her eyes caught on the brilliant blue gaze that pinned her from across the barn. Dutch was angry, but she didn’t think it was at her as much as the situation. Claire sent him a slow smile, which only made his brows draw closer together over his strong nose.

Let him be angry. He had to learn sooner or later that he couldn’t control everything. He might have issues with Claire, but apparently his daughter didn’t. And wasn’t Sasha’s well-being his primary concern?

“SO YOU CAN HELP me out?” Two days later, Claire looked at Jewel and Jenna, her twenty-two-year-old twin sisters. They sat in their parents’ kitchen. Fred and Dona Renquist had gone out shopping. Jewel and Jenna were still living at home until they started their individual graduate programs.

Claire met the twins every week whenever they weren’t away at college. Now they’d both graduated and had some time on their hands before graduate school. In fact, Jewel had decided to move back until she entered her Physical Therapy program. Jenna was going right into law school.

“I have six months until I begin working on my physical-therapy degree. I’ve got an internship at the clinic, but it’s only part-time. I’ll be here for the Sheep and Wool Festival—and I can help you with starting up the yarn shop. It’ll be a nice break for me.” Jewel grabbed one of Dona’s pecan cookies, which she’d taken from the freezer. Mom always froze extra batches she’d baked so the girls could take them out to thaw and enjoy.

Claire looked at Jenna. “Are you sure you can take time off for this?”

“The Sheep and Wool Festival is just one weekend, right?” Jenna sipped her iced tea.

“Yes, but I need help on Thursday, then I need someone to work shifts with me so I know the llamas are safe from overexcited festival attendees.”

“Count me in.” Jenna smiled at her older sister.

Sitting around Mom and Dad’s kitchen table made the years fade. If Claire closed her eyes, she could still see the whole family here, meal after meal.

“It’s great that you two want to help me. I’d ask Mom and Dad, but their cruise starts Sunday and they fly out Saturday night.”

Fred and Dona were buying new luggage today.

The twins smiled. Even at twenty-two they were undeniably linked more than average siblings. They shared Claire’s green eyes, but had straight, bright red hair instead of Claire’s wavy blond.

Both Fred and Dona were teachers; Dona still taught sixth grade, and Fred high school mathematics. During their spring break, they’d decided to take themselves on a cruise.

Claire laughed. “I wonder if they’re fighting over what color luggage to buy.”