in all, they’re going fairly well. I’ve learned to check students’ hands before they sit at the piano. I never did figure out what Scott Snooks smeared on the keys.”
“What did it look like?”
“Green.” She laughed and bounced Lara. “Now we have an inspection before each lesson.”
“If you can teach Scott Snooks anything other than murder and mayhem, you’re a miracle worker.”
“That’s the challenge.” And she was beginning to enjoy it. “If you’ve got time, I can defrost a can of lemonade.”
“Miss Domesticity.” Joanie grinned. “No, really, I only have a couple of minutes. Don’t you have another student coming?”
“Saved by the chicken pox.” With Lara in tow, Vanessa moved to the living room. “What’s your hurry?”
“I just stopped by to see if you needed anything in town. Dad and Loretta will be back in a few hours, and I want to see them. Meanwhile, I’ve got three dozen errands to run. Hardware store, grocery store, the lumber place. I still can’t believe Jack sweet-talked me into that one.” She plopped into a chair. “I’ve spent most of the morning picking up behind Lara the Wrecking Crew as she single-handedly totaled the house. And to think I was thrilled when she took her first step.”
“I could use some sheet music.” Vanessa gently removed Lara’s grasping fingers from her necklace. “I tell you what, I’ll write down the titles for you, and in exchange I’ll baby-sit.”
Joanie shook her head and rubbed a hand over her ear. “Excuse me, did you say baby-sit?”
“Yes. As in you-can-leave-Lara-with-me-for-a-couple-of-hours.”
“A couple of hours,” she repeated slowly. “Do you mean I can go to the mall, alone, by myself?”
“Well, if you’d rather not—”
Joanie let out a whoop as she jumped up to kiss Vanessa and Lara in turn. “Lara, baby, I love you. Goodbye.”
“Joanie, wait.” Laughing, Vanessa sprang up to grab her arm. “I haven’t written down the titles for the sheet music.”
“Oh, yeah. Right. I guess I got a little too excited.” She blew her hair out of her eyes. “I haven’t been shopping by myself in … I forget.” Her smile faded to a look of dismay. “I’m a terrible mother. I was happy about leaving her behind. No, not happy. Thrilled. Ecstatic. Delirious. I’m a terrible mother.”
“No, you’re a crazy person, but you’re a wonderful mother.”
Joanie steadied herself. “You’re right, it was just the thrill of going to the hardware store without a stroller and a diaper bag that went to my head. Are you sure you can handle it?”
“We’ll have a great time.”
“Of course you will.” Keen-eyed, she surveyed the living room. “Maybe you should move anything important up a couple of feet. And nail it down.”
“We’ll be fine.” She set Lara on the floor and handed her a fashion magazine to peruse—and tear up. “See?”
“Okay … I nursed her before I left home, and there’s an emergency bottle of apple juice in her diaper bag. Can you change a diaper?”
“I’ve seen it done before. How hard can it be?”
“Well, if you’re sure you don’t have anything you have to do.”
“My evening is free. When the newlyweds get home, I only have to walk a half a block to see them.”
“I guess Brady will be coming by.”
“I don’t know.”
Joanie kept her eye on Lara as the baby pushed herself up and toddled to the coffee table. “Then it hasn’t been my imagination.”
“What?”
“That there’s been a lot of tension between you two the last week or so.”
“You’re stalling, Joanie.”
“Maybe—but I am interested. The couple of times I’ve seen Brady recently, he’s been either snarling or distracted. I don’t want you to tell me it was wishful thinking when I hoped you two would get back together.”
“He asked me to marry him.”
“He— Wow! Oh, that’s wonderful! That’s terrific!” As Joanie launched herself into Vanessa’s arms, Lara began to bang on the table and squeal. “See, even Lara’s excited.”
“I said no.”
“What?” Slowly, Joanie stepped back. “You said no?”
She turned away from the stunned disappointment in Joanie’s face. “It’s too soon for all of this, Joanie. I’ve only been back a few weeks, and so much has happened. My mother, your father…” She walked over to move a vase out of Lara’s reach. “When I got here, I wasn’t even sure how long I would stay, a couple of weeks, maybe a month. I’ve been considering a tour next spring.”
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a personal life. If you want one.”
“I don’t know what I want.” Feeling helpless, she looked back at Joanie. “Marriage is