Fire and Ice by Janet Dailey

Author:Janet Dailey [Dailey, Janet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0-7592-0017-3
Publisher: ereads.com

It was nearly one o'clock in the morning before Alisa heard the car pull into the driveway and she knew that Zachary had returned. Sleep had escaped her. The books she had picked up couldn't hold her attention. Finally she had just lain in bed waiting subconsciously for her husband to return. Only after she had heard him come up the stairs, the sound of his bedroom door opening and closing, did she finally turn over in her bed and fall into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

That following week Christine had been cranky and out of sorts, demanding more and more from Alisa. Several times she slipped away, going up to the winery in spite of orders from Alisa to the contrary. But Christine had ignored the scoldings, regaling Alisa with tales of men taking the temperature of the wines, sipping out of different glasses and talking about what the wine tasted like. Alisa silently envied her sister's escapades, but she couldn't find the way to halt her wanderings or curb Chris's headstrong and precocious attitudes.

One evening Zachary had finally stepped in and ordered Christine to bed. Alisa had stood silently by while Chris stomped up the stairs before Alisa flew at Zachary in a rage. But he had been adamant. If Alisa couldn't discipline the child then he would. And he had no intention of letting a seven-year-old child rule his house with her whining and tantrums.

Alisa had known he was right, although she absolutely refused to admit it. She had pampered Christine too much, trying to make sure she didn't miss her parents more than was necessary. Zachary had dismissed her sentimentality, saying that children were more resilient than adults and could adjust quicker to a change in their environment. What had been harder to take was Christine's attitude. Alisa had gone up to her bedroom when her argument with Zachary had reached a stalemate. Christine had got ready for bed and was busy saying her prayers. After her usual 'God bless Mommy and Dad who are in heaven and tell them I love them,' came 'God bless Alisa and God bless Zach.' It was the first time Alisa had ever heard her include Zachary's name in her prayers.

Gently, trying to hide her curiosity, Alisa had asked, 'Aren't you angry with Zachary any more?'

'No. I wasn't angry with him before. I just wondered if he put up with me because of you, or whether he really liked me,' the auburn-haired child replied sagaciously. 'Now I know he likes me.'

'How? Because he ordered you to your room?' Alisa frowned.

'Yes.' The simple statement was accompanied by a wide smile as she crawled under the covers of her bed. 'You only yell and get mad at the people you like.'

With that explanation Alisa had to be satisfied. Although it was contradictory, it made sense. But it also made her wonder if she should delve into her own feelings on the subject, something she was loath to do.

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