Healing Grace by Lisa J. Lickel Read Free Book Online Page B

wished. She wouldn’t encourage him, but she didn’t feel the need to stop him, either. Knowing something didn’t mean she had to make it part of her own life. But it might help her with Eddy if he ever asked about his mother.
    “When the apple maggot got out of control, Jilly refused to see how serious the situation was. Despite the agent’s concerns, she would not order the treatment he prescribed. She tried to save money and go natural, but in the end we lost the trees here. Then it started spreading to the neighbors.” Randy grinned at her, humorlessly. “She wasn’t the most popular person in town at that time. In fact, the car accident that nearly killed Ted happened on the way home from a town meeting. Growers wanted her to take responsibility, make her pay damages. I always assumed she and Ted musta had an almighty row.” Randy shook his head, rubbing a callused hand over his scalp again. “Ted refused to say exactly what happened in the car. Jilly left town four months later.”
    He stared out once again at the hot wind waving the tall grass. “We did pay the co-op to help out the others who were affected.”
    He didn’t mention his father, Grace noted, or how he felt about the circumstances or the underlying reason why his sister-in-law took off.
    “We would have started planting cherry trees, but then… Dad became sick. Other things got in the way.”
    Eddy came slamming back out through the door. Randy stopped the story. She didn’t press, as she was pretty sure what “things” he meant.
    “Come on, feller,” Randy said. “Let’s you and me ride ’em broncos back to the stable.” He took Eddy, whooping, on his shoulders.
    She followed them down the sidewalk to the driveway. “Thank you, Randy.” He nodded. She gave Eddy a big smile and gave his fingers a shake. “And thank you, Eddy, for your help today. We’ll take Shelby her berries soon, okay?” The little boy yipped and kicked his heels into Randy’s chest. Randy winced and then winked at her before swooping his nephew to the other side of the hedge.
    Grace picked up the inflated colorful plastic ball Eddy played with and brought it to the porch before going inside. Randy wasn’t such a bad guy, after all.
    * * * *
    Ted returned from the hospital and took Eddy on a promised overnight fishing trip, leaving Grace truly alone for the first time. The hours stretched. She went to visit Shelby.
    “Please, Grace—just go out to breakfast or something, at Kaye’s—anything—and come back and tell me the latest of what you hear. This bed rest is driving me nuts. I never hear any good gossip anymore.” A dog-eared magazine slipped from her lap to the floor of her living room.
    Grace was naturally curious about the local lunch counter. But no way would she walk in there alone. “I’m gossip fodder enough. I want to go, but I’ll wait for you, until you’re better.”
    “Somehow I knew you’d say that.” Shelby couldn’t keep a pout. “I guess I’d feel the same way, you know, if someone dumped me in the middle of Tennessee where I didn’t know a soul.” She closed her eyes and leaned back.
    Grace hurt for her. She and the baby weren’t out of danger yet. Her friend’s exhaustion permeated the little house. “How about I read to you?”
    Shelby nodded, a ghost of a smile on her pale petal lips. “I’d like that. No one else would think of that, you know. I’m so glad you’re here.” She turned on her side and reached for Grace’s hand. “When I’m better, I’ll make it up to you.”
    “Hey.” Grace squeezed her hand and prayed silently. “That’s what friends are for.”
    Shelby pressed back. “Yeah.” She took off her glasses and sighed. “How about where you left off in that book about the sin eater? It doesn’t make sense without you reading it.”
    “Sure.” Grace rose and fetched the book from the basket by the rocking chair, settled in, and began to read.
    * * * *
    A couple of days later Grace