Linny's Sweet Dream List by Susan Schild Read Free Book Online

decided.” Kate nodded. “Any ideas on what you’ll call him?”
    She hesitated. She and Andy had talked about getting a dog, and they’d come up with some good names. “What about Roy for Roy Rogers?” Linny and Kate had loved those reruns when they were girls.
    â€œRoy. Perfect.” Kate nodded gravely, examining the dog’s face. “He can catch bad guys for you.” She gave him one last pat, as Linny slipped him back into his nest.
    â€œCome help me unload. I ran by the pet store and picked up a few things to get you started,” Kate said.
    Linny followed her sister to the car. Peeking into the bags piled in the open trunk, she spotted leashes, puppy chow, and a fleece-lined bed. “Kate, you’re spoiling us.”
    Kate waved her hand. “Dogs are for spoiling. We spoil Duke and Delilah, but we think of them as children with fur.” She paused, suddenly looking vulnerable.
    Linny put down her parcels and wound her arms around Kate. She and Jerry had tried for so many years to have a baby, and the most recent round of in vitro had failed. Feeling a wave of love, she rested her chin on top of her sister’s head.
    Kate brushed at her brimming eyes with her fingers and said briskly, “Let’s get going.” She gave Linny a knowing look, and cracked a smile. “You need to get a To-Do list going.” With one hand on her hip, she gazed appraisingly at the trailer. “With work, it might have a kitschy appeal.”
    â€œKitschy?” Linny stared at the trailer. Darned if she could see kitschy.
    Her sister nodded. “I did a little research on the Internet. It’s a 1976 Scenic-View, and was the top of the line in its day.”
    â€œMary Catherine and I cleaned yesterday, but it’s still rough.” Linny warned, as she held open the door. “Come on in.”
    â€œI haven’t been inside in ages.” Kate sniffed. “I smell good clean smells, and nasty carpeting.”
    â€œI’ll rip it out.” Linny nodded vigorously, as she grabbed her spiral notebook and pen from the kitchen table.
    Together they slowly walked through each room, and around the exterior of the trailer. Linny scribbled notes as Kate told her what the big projects were, their order of priority, and the estimated costs.
    In the spare bedroom, Kate picked up a wooden decoy from the top of a packing box and examined it. “This is pretty, I haven’t seen it before.”
    â€œI snagged it out of the boxes of Buck’s stuff just as the thrift store truck pulled into the driveway. He always called it his Lucky Duck, and would pat it before big meetings.”
    Her sister cocked her head inquisitively. “Did you keep it for the luck?”
    Linny shook her head no. “I just thought he was a sweet little guy, and didn’t want to see him go to someone who didn’t appreciate him,” she admitted.
    Kate nodded. “Everyone needs to be appreciated.” She patted the decoy on his head before she set him back on top of the box.
    After they sized up the last room, Kate announced, “We need to smudge.” She rummaged in her fringed purse and held aloft a bundle. “White sage. Native Americans use it for purification.” She pulled a book of matches and an ashtray from her purse. “We light the ends, and wave the smoke around each room. We’ll clear out the bad karma, and replace it with good.”
    Though Linny had little truck with karma, she followed her smoking sister through every room. If a little sage could steam clean out negativity, she was all for it.
    Afterward, she sat beside her sister on the porch floor as they sipped bottles of icy water. She glanced around the trailer and gazed at her sister. “Can I can handle living in this place?”
    â€œYup.” Kate nodded firmly. “This place will work fine for the short term. Glad Mama was between tenants.”
    Linny got a