A Special Kind Of Family. Eileen Berger

she is.” Vanessa picked up her small purse and keys. “I must get to work. How about my dropping you and Jana off at school on my way?”

      They grabbed their books and ran out ahead of her, as she’d hoped they would, and she was in her office within a few minutes of dropping them at school. Time flew with in-house matters to be taken care of immediately, then fax, e-mail, and phone messages to be answered.

      She hardly glanced at a clock until Keith called around one-thirty to tell her Gram’s surgery was scheduled for the following morning. Vanessa wanted to let Rob know—actually, she wanted to hear his reassuring voice—but the funeral home’s answering machine gave the very proper message recorded by his partner stating that the service for some man was taking place at two that afternoon. Her call would be returned if she left a name and number.

      She did that, then leaned back in her chair and punched in the number for Gram’s room. The connection went through quickly. “Good afternoon, how are you feeling?”

      A soft laugh. “Grateful, mostly.”

      “Grateful?” That wasn’t the word she’d have used.

      “Mm-hmmm. My fall could have happened anytime, you know, but it took place when the girls were right there, and AnnaMae made the calls, and Rob and Pete came right away, and you stayed overnight—why shouldn’t I be grateful?”

      Vanessa felt a crooked smile come to her own face. “Why not indeed?” But she wondered how many others would have reacted that way. “I understand that you’re scheduled for hip surgery tomorrow morning.”

      “Right. And look, dear, don’t think you must be with me. Your primary responsibility has got to be there in Sylvan Falls.”

      She knew Gram wasn’t referring to her job here at the plant. “Things went well last night. I stayed until Aunt Phyl came this morning, and dropped Jana and Barb off at school on my way here. Everyone’s fine.”

      “I’ve been wondering about this afternoon, though. Phyl will need to leave no later than two-thirty to get back here for her shift at the hospital.”

      Vanessa drew in a deep breath. “I was hoping to get away early, but there’s no way I can leave until at least four-thirty or five.”

      “I’m going to call Gin Redding. Perhaps she can cover for us since she lives just across the side yard.”

      Us, not you. Dear Gram, worrying about everything at home when she’s got enough problems there. “That would help, of course, but I hate to make you do the phoning.”

      “Now you just get back to what you have to do, dear. I’ll call Gin, and if she can’t come over I’ll ask another friend. I’m sure to find someone.”

      There was the click of a closed line, and Vanessa sat there for a moment looking at the phone still in her hand. Leaning forward, she replaced it and got to her feet. She made a practice of getting around to each department every day, convinced that being readily accessible avoided the necessity of spending a lot more time troubleshooting.

      She was almost disappointed that Rob had not returned her call by the time she left at 5:28. With her mind on getting to Gram’s as soon as possible, and staying there, she’d verified that one of the foremen would receive any after-hours emergency calls. She considered stopping to pick up pizza on the way but had not had time to call ahead; she’d better hurry to relieve Gram’s good-hearted neighbor.

      As she parked by the curb and hurried inside, Vanessa was still trying to decide what to have for dinner—and gave a sigh of relief when Gin told her that church members would be sending the evening meal each day until further notice. She knew Gram often did this for others, but had not considered a possible reversal of that kindness.

      The doorbell rang, and Ricki hurried to respond. “Hi, Mr. Corland. So you’re the first to bring us a meal!”

      “I guess I am.” He chuckled. “Want to take a couple of these?”

      Going into the hallway, Vanessa was surprised to see his arms filled with a number of take-out boxes from her favorite steak house. “I hope everyone’s hungry,” he was saying even before she could greet him. “I brought both steak and barbecued chicken from Jerry’s Barbeque.”

      Does he remember the two of us going there? It seems so long ago!

      Barb and Jana also insisted on carrying containers to the kitchen, so he was empty-handed as she said, “Just set everything on the table till we get organized.”

      They exclaimed over the abundance of not only the meat, vegetables and salads, but even cherry and apple pies. Vanessa asked, “Have you eaten, Rob?”

      “Well, the church served a luncheon following the interment, and the family asked us to join them….”

      “You and Gin will stay and eat with us,” Vanessa stated briskly. “There’s so much food.”

      With the girls working together, it was only minutes until the table was set, coffee and hot water ready, the food on serving platters and everyone seated. At first the conversation primarily concerned Gram’s scheduled surgery, and the length of time anticipated for recovery and rehabilitation before she could return home.

      Kate’s grandmother had died the year before, so she asked all kinds of questions about Rob’s work as a mortician. Vanessa tried several times to turn the conversation to something more pleasant, but the girl kept coming back to that subject.

      Jana and Barb talked about Sylvan Falls, comparing the school and community here with their own—but said little about families and friends they’d left to come here.

      Rob’s pager beeped as they were eating dessert, and Vanessa was sorry to hear him say, “Yes, I’ll be there as quickly as possible.”

      Vanessa walked out to the porch with Rob and thanked him again for bringing dinner. “My pleasure, Van.” His hand reached for hers and gave it a firm squeeze. “It’s been a long time since we ate a meal together.”

      She nodded—and felt almost bereft when he released her hand.

      “I must hurry home and change into something less casual than jeans and sweatshirt. I’m expected to look professional when I go to the hospital for someone. You remember Nate Bowman, don’t you?”

      “Of course. He was an especially good friend of Grandad’s, one of his buddies.” Being reminded of her grandfather still gave her that clutching pain in her stomach. Another fireman dead! He was one of those who tried to rescue Grandad, and now he’s gone, too. I hope Gram doesn’t know, for that would make her feel even worse.

      The girls were already putting away leftovers and loading the dishwasher when Vanessa walked back into the house after bidding Rob goodnight. In spite of the conversation and activities with the girls, she felt more alone with him gone.

      But she wouldn’t dwell on her own feelings; Gram had asked her to check the homework of the younger girls and make sure the older ones studied for their General Equivalency Diploma exams.

      None of the three who were old enough to graduate from high school had done so. Ricki would have last June, near the head of her class, had she not run off with her “one true love,” who was in the army and stationed in the Midwest. He had not married her, as he’d said he was going to—and now denied paternity.

      Kate dropped out of school after her junior year, going to work at a fast-food place, “…to make money, have a car, and stuff like that.” AnnaMae admitted to having been in a state of rebellion; education was so overwhelmingly important to her parents that no matter what grades she got or what she achieved, nothing was “good enough.” She’d eventually stopped studying or doing assignments and deliberately got poor marks.

      Vanessa related especially to that; she had not stopped studying—and even graduated second in her class, but she’d rebelled in other ways. Looking back, she was ashamed of deliberately hanging around people her age and older who were known for