closet space. But
could she move into her parents’ room?
She stepped down the hall, and looked into
the master bedroom, taking in the décor with fresh eyes. A
ten-year-old flowery bedspread covered the bed. The faded navy
curtains drooped over the windows. The wood floors were dull.
Her mother’s earrings in the silver jewelry
holder caught Jillian’s eye. They winked at her with sparks of
light. Her father’s class ring lay nestled next to her mother’s
tennis bracelet. An aged doily covered the rich oak
dresser-top.
Around the room, she found other items. The
porcelain wedding cake topper, the couple dressed in old-fashioned
gown and tux, which sat on her father’s nightstand. A wedding
anniversary portrait hung on the wall above the bed, showed a happy
couple smiling down at her. Her father’s worn slippers rested on
the floor by the bed where he'd always kept them.
Tears dripped onto her cheeks.
****
Several hours later, Jillian rushed through
the back door of the store so she could open on time. After putting
her purse in her office, she unlocked the front door. Karen Ann
stood there waiting with a cup of coffee in each hands.
“Morning.”
“ What’s the matter with you?” she
asked, setting down their coffees on the counter. “You look
flustered. What’s going on?”
Jillian twisted her hands in front of her,
trying to hold herself together. “Jason called me this morning.
Derek has been hurt.”
The explanation made her think of the pain
he must be suffering. “A car exploded, and he was hit by flying
debris. He has a concussion. He’s in a hospital in Germany.”
“ Wait a second, how did Jason know to
call you?” Karen Ann eyed her suspiciously.
“ That’s the strange part. Derek is
claiming we’re married.” Jillian studied her friend. Could she pull
off another lie?
“ Married? That’s not what you told me
the other night. You said that he left before you got
married.”
She couldn’t do it. “I know, but with the
blow to the head, his memory is foggy. He can’t remember anything
about his last assignment.”
Karen Ann grabbed Jillian’s arm. “What have
you done?”
“ I told Jason we were married,” she
confided tearfully.
“ Why?”
She wiped at her tears. “What other choice
did I have? He remembers marrying me. He wanted to marry me, he
would have married me. I’m the one that got cold feet. I can’t let
him down.” She begged for understanding. “You can’t tell anyone the
truth.”
Karen Ann picked up her coffee. Jillian
waited, uncertain as to how her friend would handle this news. “You
know you’re asking for trouble.” She sipped her coffee then set it
back down. “But you’re my best friend, so, yes, I'll keep your
secret.”
She sighed with relief and hugged her
friend. “You’re the best.”
“ I know.” Karen Ann grinned. “So when
is your husband due
back?”
Jillian drew in a deep breath. “Saturday. I
called Michael this morning and told him about Derek. He’s coming
down Friday so he can drive me to Dallas the next day. We’ll close
the store early on Saturday.”
“ Does Michael know about the baby?”
Karen Ann leaned against the counter.
“ No, I wanted to save some news for
when Derek gets home.” Jillian shook her head. “Jason already wants
his brother to stay in Dallas to keep us apart. But I know he'll
never go for it.”
Karen Ann’s eyes widened. “Then you want him
to come live here with you?”
“ Yes. Where else would he live? After
all, we’re married,” Jillian reminded her friend, and tried to
drill it into her own head.
“ Yes, but are you sure you want him to
come stay here while he’s still sick?”
“ He’s my husband, remember, in
sickness and in health.” She clenched her fists. If this farce was
going to work, she had to stand beside him and not let people pull
them apart.
“ Okay, Jill, calm down.” Karen Ann
slid her arms around Jillian.
The fact that her best friend was her
could she move into her parents’ room?
She stepped down the hall, and looked into
the master bedroom, taking in the décor with fresh eyes. A
ten-year-old flowery bedspread covered the bed. The faded navy
curtains drooped over the windows. The wood floors were dull.
Her mother’s earrings in the silver jewelry
holder caught Jillian’s eye. They winked at her with sparks of
light. Her father’s class ring lay nestled next to her mother’s
tennis bracelet. An aged doily covered the rich oak
dresser-top.
Around the room, she found other items. The
porcelain wedding cake topper, the couple dressed in old-fashioned
gown and tux, which sat on her father’s nightstand. A wedding
anniversary portrait hung on the wall above the bed, showed a happy
couple smiling down at her. Her father’s worn slippers rested on
the floor by the bed where he'd always kept them.
Tears dripped onto her cheeks.
****
Several hours later, Jillian rushed through
the back door of the store so she could open on time. After putting
her purse in her office, she unlocked the front door. Karen Ann
stood there waiting with a cup of coffee in each hands.
“Morning.”
“ What’s the matter with you?” she
asked, setting down their coffees on the counter. “You look
flustered. What’s going on?”
Jillian twisted her hands in front of her,
trying to hold herself together. “Jason called me this morning.
Derek has been hurt.”
The explanation made her think of the pain
he must be suffering. “A car exploded, and he was hit by flying
debris. He has a concussion. He’s in a hospital in Germany.”
“ Wait a second, how did Jason know to
call you?” Karen Ann eyed her suspiciously.
“ That’s the strange part. Derek is
claiming we’re married.” Jillian studied her friend. Could she pull
off another lie?
“ Married? That’s not what you told me
the other night. You said that he left before you got
married.”
She couldn’t do it. “I know, but with the
blow to the head, his memory is foggy. He can’t remember anything
about his last assignment.”
Karen Ann grabbed Jillian’s arm. “What have
you done?”
“ I told Jason we were married,” she
confided tearfully.
“ Why?”
She wiped at her tears. “What other choice
did I have? He remembers marrying me. He wanted to marry me, he
would have married me. I’m the one that got cold feet. I can’t let
him down.” She begged for understanding. “You can’t tell anyone the
truth.”
Karen Ann picked up her coffee. Jillian
waited, uncertain as to how her friend would handle this news. “You
know you’re asking for trouble.” She sipped her coffee then set it
back down. “But you’re my best friend, so, yes, I'll keep your
secret.”
She sighed with relief and hugged her
friend. “You’re the best.”
“ I know.” Karen Ann grinned. “So when
is your husband due
back?”
Jillian drew in a deep breath. “Saturday. I
called Michael this morning and told him about Derek. He’s coming
down Friday so he can drive me to Dallas the next day. We’ll close
the store early on Saturday.”
“ Does Michael know about the baby?”
Karen Ann leaned against the counter.
“ No, I wanted to save some news for
when Derek gets home.” Jillian shook her head. “Jason already wants
his brother to stay in Dallas to keep us apart. But I know he'll
never go for it.”
Karen Ann’s eyes widened. “Then you want him
to come live here with you?”
“ Yes. Where else would he live? After
all, we’re married,” Jillian reminded her friend, and tried to
drill it into her own head.
“ Yes, but are you sure you want him to
come stay here while he’s still sick?”
“ He’s my husband, remember, in
sickness and in health.” She clenched her fists. If this farce was
going to work, she had to stand beside him and not let people pull
them apart.
“ Okay, Jill, calm down.” Karen Ann
slid her arms around Jillian.
The fact that her best friend was her
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