Inch by Inch by Morgan Llywelyn

Author:Morgan Llywelyn [Llywelyn, Morgan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

* * *

“I want more children,” Gloria Delmonico told her husband. Taking advantage of a break in the weather he was raking dead leaves; she was kneeling beside her beloved iris bed, lifting and separating corms for the winter. She looked up at him and smiled invitingly.

Gerry propped the rake against the garden shed and pretended to unbutton his jeans. “Having a baby takes nine months as I recall. But if we start right now—”

“You goofball,” she said fondly, “you know what I mean. I understand why our great-grandparents had so many children; they wanted to be sure they’d get to keep a few.”

“Those were different times.”

“They were, but bad things happened then too, just different bad things. This time an airplane crashed, next time it could be the space station or one of our satellites.”

“I doubt it. Whatever’s affecting metal doesn’t seem to reach very far beyond Earth, Muffin.”

“Then the next disaster could be the war everybody’s expecting.”

“It could be,” he admitted. “Let’s hope not. But children are hostages to fortune. You’re worried about two now; you want to worry about three?”

“You’re included in the number I worry about.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I’ve never known a man who could take care of himself,” Gloria said. “You just think you can. That’s why God had to make women.”

“And my woman wants another baby, so—”

“I said children, not a baby.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I want to apply to the court for us to become foster parents for the Nyeberger orphans. Not Sandy, he’s just joined the navy, but the four younger ones; Kirby in particular. I’ve got to know that boy. There’s something special about him. I think I can bring it out, but I’ll need to be with him more than a few hours a day. Those youngsters need a stable home with well-adjusted parents, otherwise what sort of men will they become? Imagine growing up with the knowledge that your mother was murdered by a stranger and your father went crazy and killed some other people.”

“I’m sorry for them, I guess the whole town’s sorry for them, Muffin. But I don’t see anybody lining up to help them.”

“We could. We can. We can apply to the Staunton Trust for sufficient money to keep the boys in our home until they’re grown. If it’s granted I could take an extended leave of absence to be with them.”

Gerry was astonished. Obviously his wife already had everything worked out. Gloria had a habit of surprising him, it was one of the many reasons he loved her, but this one topped them all. “We have two children already,” he said. “What makes you think the authorities would let us have four more?”

“Because the boys are in such desperate need. Nell Bennett has a terrific lawyer, Finbar O’Mahony; he’s represented her family for years. He tells me we’d have a good chance…” She took a deep breath and produced the ace from her sleeve. “And he’s one of the Staunton trustees.”

“Shouldn’t you have talked to me first, Muffin? Now I don’t know what to say.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.