Unfinished Business

size four.”
    “Small bones.”
    “Wait until Brady gets a load of you.”
    Her chin lifted a fraction. “I saw him yesterday.”
    “Really? And the rat didn’t call me.” Joanie tapped a finger against her lips. There was laughter just beneath them. “So, how did it go?”
    “I hit him.”

    “You—” Joanie choked, coughed, recovered. “You hit him? Why?”
    “For standing me up for his senior prom.”
    “For—” Joanie broke off when Vanessa sprang to her feet and began pacing.
    “I’ve never been so angry. I don’t care how stupid it sounds. That night was so important to me. I thought it would be the most wonderful, the most romantic night of my life. You know how long we shopped for the perfect dress.”
    “Yes,” Joanie murmured. “I know.”
    “I’d been looking forward to that night for weeks and weeks.” On a roll now, she swirled around the room. “I’d just gotten my license, and I drove all the way into Frederick to get my hair done. I had this little sprig of baby’s breath behind my ear.” She touched the spot now, but there was no sentiment in the gesture. “Oh, I knew he was unreliable and reckless. I can’t count the number of times my father told me. But I never expected him to dump me like that.”
    “But, Van—”
    “I didn’t even leave the house for two days after. I was so sick with embarrassment, so hurt. And then, with my parents fighting. It was—oh, it was so ugly. Then my father took me to Europe, and that was that.”
    Joanie bit her lip as she considered. There were explanations she could offer, but this was something Brady should straighten out himself. “There might be more to it than you think” was all she said.
    Recovered now, Vanessa sat again. “It doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago.” Then she smiled. “Besides, I think I got the venom out when I punched him in the stomach.”
    Joanie’s lips twitched in sisterly glee. “I’d like to have seen that.”

    “It’s hard to believe he’s a doctor.”
    “I don’t think anyone was more surprised than Brady.”
    “It’s odd he’s never married…” She frowned. “Or anything.”
    “I won’t touch ‘anything,’ but he’s never married. There are a number of women in town who’ve developed chronic medical problems since he’s come back.”
    “I’ll bet,” Vanessa muttered.
    “Anyway, my father’s in heaven. Have you had a chance to see him yet?”
    “No, I wanted to see you first.” She took Joanie’s hands again. “I’m so sorry about your mother. I didn’t know until yesterday.”
    “It was a rough couple of years. Dad was so lost. I guess we all were.” Her fingers tightened, taking comfort and giving it. “I know you lost your father. I understand how hard it must have been for you.”
    “He hadn’t been well for a long time. I didn’t know how serious it was until, well…until it was almost over.” She rubbed a hand over her stomach as it spasmed. “It helped to finish out the engagements. That would have been important to him.”
    “I know.” She was starting to speak again when the intercom on the table crackled. There was a whimper, a gurgle, followed by a stream of infant jabbering. “She’s up and ready to roll.” Joanie rose quickly. “I’ll just be a minute.”
    Alone, Vanessa stood and began to wander the room. It was filled with so many little, comforting things. Books on agriculture and child-rearing, wedding pictures and baby pictures. There was an old porcelain vase she remembered seeing in the Tucker household as a child. Through the window she could see the barn, and the cows drowsing in the midday sun.
    Like something out of a book, she thought. Her own faded wish book.

    “Van?”
    She turned to see Joanie in the doorway, a round, dark-haired baby on her hip. The baby swung her feet, setting off the bells tied to her shoelaces.
    “Oh, Joanie. She’s gorgeous.”
    “Yeah.” Joanie kissed Lara’s head. “She is. Would you like to hold her?”
    “Are you kidding?” Van came across the room to take the baby. After a long suspicious look, Lara smiled and began to kick her feet again. “Aren’t you pretty?” Van murmured. Unable to resist, she lifted the baby over her head and turned in a circle while Lara giggled. “Aren’t you just wonderful?”
    “She likes you, too.” Joanie gave a satisfied nod. “I kept telling her she’d meet her godmother sooner or later.”
    “Her godmother?” Confused, Vanessa