Bringing Rosie Home. Loree Lough

of her favorite quick-fix meals. A gesture of kindness?

      “Who knows how many days they’ll keep us in Chicago,” she said. “We’ll be eating deli and fast food for the duration. I’ll whip up something more substantial and healthy.” She took note of his who-do-you-think-you-are expression and added, “You said I should make myself at home...”

      “Fine,” he said. “I’ll be in the family room. Holler when it’s ready.”

      Rena watched him walk away, the way he had when she announced her plan to leave. She didn’t think it was possible to hurt him that way again. She’d been wrong.

       Chapter Four

      “THE CHICKEN IS DELICIOUS. I haven’t had it made this way since...”

      He trailed off, and Rena must have sensed his discomfort. “Since I left? I imagine you’ve shared more than a few meals with Tina in the past few years.”

      He’d given her that opening. Shouldn’t have dredged up the past. Not even the good stuff.

      Rena sat back. “I should have called her, invited her to supper.”

      “I’m glad you didn’t. You and I have stuff to hash out.” Too much honesty, too soon? Grant wondered. He cleared his throat. “Besides, she’s at Muriel’s tonight.”

      “Oh, that’s right. This is Tuesday, her bridge night.” Rena ran a fingertip around the rim of her wineglass. “I think it’s great that she’s still doing all the things that bring her so much pleasure.”

      Was that a hint for him to take a lesson from his mom, step out and live life to its fullest, even after the loss of a loved one? He took a bite of buttered wild rice to stop himself from saying something rash. Did she feel that way because she’d moved forward? Had she left a guy behind on Fenwick Island?

      He’d tried dating a time or two, nice women he’d met through coworkers, and blind dates set up by former frat brothers. But because he and Rena had never pursued a divorce, being with another woman always felt just plain wrong. Plus, despite everything, he loved Rena, and probably always would. He’d always blame her, too, for what happened to Rosie. And since the blame outweighed the love—

      “So do you think Rosie will have questions for us?” Rena asked.

      For you, maybe, he thought, since Rena had been the reason the kidnapper had succeeded in the first place.

      “She must. I know I have a thousand questions,” she pressed on.

      Grant lifted his glass to his lips. “Such as?”

      “Such as where she went to school. If she went to school. What sort of house she lived in. Were there other children? Did they feed her healthy meals? Did she see a pediatrician regularly, and is she up to date on all her immunizations? And if she did, how did the kidnapper hide the truth from the doctor, from the principal and teachers, from neighbors and friends and fam—”

      “I’m sure the psychiatrist will fill us in on all that.” During their phone call, he’d told her what the agent said. An abbreviated version of the facts, but enough information to give her the gist of things. Maybe, under the stress of it all, she’d forgotten. “She was found wandering alone in a mall, remember, after that...that woman died of an aneurism?”

      Rena nodded. “Yes. I remember. But...” She waved a hand in front of her face. “Oh, I know she’ll be taller—of course she’ll be taller. She’s nine years old. And naturally, she’ll weigh more, too. But—and I know this might sound silly—but does she still have all that beautiful, long blond hair? Did they cut it or dye it? And...how many times has the Tooth Fairy visited?” She shook her head, frowning slightly. “After all she’s been through, she sure doesn’t need a bunch of doctor appointments while she’s trying to settle in here at home.” Rena paused, as if to catch her breath. “And what about us? What does she remember of us?”

      This one, Grant could answer. At least in part. “She was told that we were killed in a drunk-driving accident,” he said. “And that we’d named this...that nut job as Rosie’s guardian. Unless something is seriously wrong—and I doubt it, since Agent Gonzalez didn’t pass that info along to Detective Campbell—we’ll take her to see a specialist. After she’s had some time to adjust, I mean.”

      Rena wouldn’t have to wonder about any of this if she’d been paying attention during the field trip.

      Fair or not, it was how he felt. How he’d felt since she’d called the office that day, crying so hard he could barely understand a word she said. But they had to at least try to get along, for Rosie’s sake. Grant knew he’d better keep his lips zipped.

      “You probably won’t believe this,” she said, “given some of the, ah, discussions we had before I left, but...”

      Discussions. He nearly chuckled. They’d had bitter quarrels. Full-blown shouting matches. Well, he’d shouted. A lot. Told Rena she was responsible for what happened to Rosie.

      “...but I always held on to a thread of hope that someday, someday, she’d be found. I know it goes against everything I said back then, because I was trying so hard to accept things, to adjust and adapt, for both of our sakes, but I can’t tell you what a relief it is, knowing she’s coming home.”

      She’d held on to a thread of hope? It was all Grant could do to keep from groaning. Rena had been way too eager to pack up all their girl’s things and stow them in the attic, beside his dusty childhood toys, her grandpa’s steamer trunk and her grandmother’s hope chest—the one that still housed Rena’s wedding dress—his dad’s tattered college textbooks, and Christmas decorations. Out of sight, out of mind, apparently. How could she feel that way about their sweet Rosie?

      Plus, how many times had she accused him of living in the past, of refusing to accept that Rosie was gone? And all this time, she’d clung to hope, too? A hope, she’d told him often, that was impossible.

      And then there was the way she’d pestered him to have another kid...and how he’d accused her of being cold, indifferent, heartless to think the birth of another child could blot out the agony they’d suffered. Rosie couldn’t be replaced that easily. Why hadn’t he been able to make her see that?

      Grant put down his fork. He’d been famished when he sat down. Now, his appetite was gone. He started to push back from the table.

      “Oh, don’t leave yet,” Rena said, a note of pleading in her voice. “I made dessert.”

      “I’m really not hungry, Rena.”

      He hadn’t intended for the comment to sound harsh. But what did she expect? They hadn’t shared a meal—or anything else—in years! Surely Rena didn’t they’d simply pick up where they’d left off.

      “Not even for chocolate pie?”

      His favorite dessert. She’d only had an hour to throw dinner together, so she must have bought it when she’d stopped at the Giant for groceries. What the heck. Maybe something sweet would turn his sour mood around...

      “Okay, but just a small slice.”

      “Whipped cream on top? I made plenty when I was beating up the filling.”

      So she’d made the pie, just for him? He marveled that she’d had time.

      “Sure. Why not.”

      Rena got up and cleared their plates, and quickly replaced them with dessert.

      “There’s coffee—decaf—if you’d like some,” she said.

      “Well, since it’s already made, no sense wasting it.”

      She poured them each a cup. Placed the sugar bowl and creamer near his elbow.

      So. His favorite meal. His favorite