A Plain & Fancy Christmas by Keller Cynthia

Author:Keller, Cynthia [Keller, Cynthia]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780345530196
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Published: 2011-10-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Rachel poured herself a glass of milk and took it to the dining room. She sat down at the table and gazed out the window, marveling at how bright the streets were at three A.M. Even at this hour there were lights everywhere, on the streets, in signs, some still blazing in apartments. The outside glow made the kitchen more than bright enough, with light glinting off the stainless steel of the appliances. Between the lights and the noise outside, she wondered how people got a night’s sleep. It was hard to believe that she could hear the cars below all the way up here on the eleventh floor. She took a sip of milk. It was cold, but certainly not as good as the fresh milk at home. Every single thing here is different, she thought.

“I thought I heard someone,” Nina said, tying the sash on her robe as she came in to sit down. “May I join you?”

She smiled. “Forgive me if I’m staring. Obviously, this is the first time I’ve seen you with your hair down. It’s the strangest thing, how you look so much like A.J. and Nick. I think, she’s not even related—but then I remember that you are related, as closely as any family members can be. It’s just an indescribable sensation. The confusion of it all, emotionally.”

Rachel sipped at her milk. “I understand.”

Nina sighed. “I’m not sure I could ever understand what this is like for you two girls. I mean, I’m so furious at that doctor and nurse for allowing this to happen, and then keeping it a secret. It was an unforgivable crime, and I can’t even confront them. Yet, I can’t picture life without Ellie.”

“Exactly. I can’t picture my life being any other way.”

Nina nodded. They sat in silence for a bit.

“Tell me.” Nina put a hand on Rachel’s arm. “Are you close with your family? Have you had a happy life so far? Maybe I’m overstepping. But can you imagine how much I want to know if my child has led a good life, the one we would have hoped for? If there are people who love her, and are kind to her.”

“Oh, yes,” Rachel replied. “You don’t have to wonder about that for a minute. My family is very close. I’m surrounded by people who care for me, and for Katie. We work hard, and we try to live the best lives we can. In that, we find our happiness.”

“Was your husband a kind man?”

Rachel smiled. “The kindest man you could ever hope to meet. We had a very good marriage for nine years. Happy, as you say. And he left behind our Katie, my most precious gift in the world.”

“I’m so sorry you lost him.”

“Thank you.” Rachel didn’t wish to elaborate on her feelings for Jacob or how his death still hurt.

Nina got up. “I’ll leave you to your milk and your thoughts. But I hope you see that my husband and I desperately want to know the two of you.

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