Home Before Dark by SUSAN WIGGS

Author:SUSAN WIGGS
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2003-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Jessie shone. Luz could see a certain aura about her sister as Jessie walked into the kitchen. “Good morning,” said Luz, setting out four lunch bags assembly-line style on the counter. “You’re in a good mood.”

Jessie’s dazzling smile percolated into a laugh. “It’s a good day.” She wandered over to the coffeepot and helped herself to a cup, adding sugar and enough cream to spill on the counter. Without seeming to notice the spill, she went and stood at the bay window overlooking the lake. Sunrise painted the flat water pink and gold, and mist haunted the low spots and clung to the water’s edge. Across the lake, a truck sped away.

With automatic movements born of long practice, Luz assembled lunches as she watched Jessie. “That grin of yours wouldn’t have something to do with a certain pilot who spent the night with you, would it?”

“It would. But he wouldn’t be the first guy to leave me at first light.”

“He’ll be back. I was watching him last night. I know.”

Jessie turned, and the sunrise outlined her slender form. She wore exotic silk pajamas—low slung bottoms and cropped top—and when lit from behind, she looked as fresh and carefree as she had years before, a college girl in search of a life.

Luz struggled with an old, familiar demon. Envy. Jessie wasn’t beautiful; she was luminous. Her gifts were so many, and they came with such ease. But as always, Luz battled the demon with her most powerful weapon. She loved her sister. How could you let envy interfere with love?

The sound of the shower drumming upstairs, the radio blaring Nelly Furtado, told her Lila was up, and evidently serious about going to school today. Another issue—Jessie was waiting for an answer. The discussion about Lila’s adoption hadn’t gone away. It hovered, waiting to land. As life returned to relative normalcy, the lingering questions would recur. When would they tell Lila? What would they tell her? How?

Yet this morning, Jessie’s mind seemed to be elsewhere, turned inward, perhaps. With the ease of a blackjack dealer, Luz laid out slices of bread. “He was that good, huh?”

Jessie hugged herself. “Boy howdy. You have no idea.”

Twiddling a butter knife around in a jar, Luz extracted the last of the peanut butter. She made no comment as she thought about the last time she’d awakened with that peculiar, unmistakable glow that followed a night of incredible sex. Last June, maybe?

“On a scale of one to ten,” said Jessie, “it was about a ninety-eight.”

Luz dropped tiny bags of chips into each standing lunch bag, along with fruit—apples today—and a cup of pudding and a plastic spoon. Four bags, four lunches, four kids, four reasons to tell Ian, “Not tonight, dear.”

Jessie leaned against the counter where Luz was working. “Looks like everyone is headed to school today.”

“Even Scottie. He’s got playgroup until noon. I make him a lunch like the others so he’ll feel grown up.” She bent over, scrawling on paper napkins with a ballpoint pen.

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