Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,35
look. “What?”
“Oh, dear, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Zane’s mother blanched. “New York?”
“I think he’s going so he can talk with Sophie’s other grandparents.”
“Oh,” she said then drew in a breath. “Them. Well, it needs to be done. But he can leave Sophie here …”
“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?” Holly cut in. “How would you like it if Zane told you about her, but left her in New York?”
Janet straightened, her lips pressing into a firm line. She nodded. “I see. And you’re right. But the child needs a crib. After all, Zane will be back as soon as he’s taken care of his business. I just wish he’d have told me about it.” She went to the next crib. “I’m surprised he told you and not us.”
“He didn’t, actually.”
She gaped at her a moment. “Then how did you come to find out?”
Holly gave her a helpless shrug. “He told Hazel at the bakery.”
Janet’s mouth flopped open. “Hazel Comfort? He told her and not you or me? What’s gotten into that boy?”
“Maybe he was thinking out loud?”
Janet rolled her eyes. “If he told her, it was because he’s made up his mind. Zane gets things in his head then forgets to mention them to the rest of us.”
Holly smiled. The woman was right. He used to do that all the time back in high school. “Some things never change.”
“I wish that would.” She heaved a sigh. “All right, I’ll speak with him. But I’m still buying that poor lamb a decent bed.” She went back to the first crib. “I like this one. What do you think?”
“Me? Well, yes, it’s nice. Pretty.”
Janet glanced around. “Where’s a salesclerk when you need one?”
Holly went to the crib, pulled a card containing the SKU number and price, and handed it to her. “Just take this to the checkout. They’ll ring it up, then we can pick it up at the back of the store. It’s not going to fit in my car, though.”
“You’re right. We need a truck.”
“There’s also delivery.”
Janet smiled. “Yes, of course. How could I forget?”
“Mrs. Brody …”
“Janet.”
Holly smiled. “I know how hard this must be for you.”
Janet gave her a heartfelt smile. “Yes. I’m … still in shock, if you must know.”
Holly put an arm around her. “Sophie’s lucky to have you and Mr. Brody as her grammie and grandpa.”
Her smile broadened. “Thank you, Holly. That means a lot to me.” She hugged her, then looked toward the checkout stands. “Now, let’s buy that little angel a new bed.”
They got their business done, then left for the church to see if Mr. Drake, the church janitor and maintenance man was around. More important, if his truck was. Janet decided she didn’t like the delivery fee Stone’s wanted. She also decided Mr. Drake wouldn’t mind picking it up.
They found him in the church basement working on the boiler. No sooner had Janet told him what she needed, he was off to Stone’s Department Store to pick up Sophie’s crib.
“There, that didn’t take long,” Janet said as they watched Mr. Drake drive away. “Best we get to the house now. We want to be there when he shows up with the crib.”
“Aren’t you going to tell Mr. Brody what’s happened?” They were at the church, and he was working.
“What for? He knows what we’re about this afternoon. Besides, he’ll see it when he comes home. I’m sure David will have it set up by then.”
“Mr. Drake? You’re going to have him put it together?”
“He can at least help. Things go faster with two, dear.”
Holly scratched her head. “If you say so.”
Janet laughed. “If that contraption is anything like the old ones, then putting it together is no small feat. It will take both Zane and David to wrestle it into submission.”
Holly laughed. “All right. I have to see this.” She took out her cell phone.
“Did you need to make a call?”
“No, I’m making sure I have plenty of charge left. I want to take pictures of this momentous occasion.”
Janet put an arm around her, laughed, then motioned toward the car. “Let’s go tell Zane the good news.”
“That he gets to go nuts with Mr. Drake?”
“Of course. I’ll put dinner on, and you can help me. Then the men can have a good meal to drown out their frustrations.”
Holly giggled as they headed for the car. She was beginning to like Mrs. Brody’s — make that Janet’s — sense of humor. Up until now she’d always been “Pastor Brody’s wife.” Sure, she knew her