Tears of Pride by Lisa Jackson

Author:Lisa Jackson [Jackson, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488030932
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 1984-07-04T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

NOAH PACED BACK AND FORTH across the red bricks of the patio. The anxieties of the day were etched across his face in long lines of worry. It was nearly ten. The sun had set over an hour before and Sean hadn’t returned. He was obviously back to his old tricks of vanishing without a word of explanation.

Emily was already asleep in her bed. Since over-hearing Sean’s unkind remarks, she had been quiet. The girl hadn’t even put up an argument about going to bed, and Sheila’s heart broke when Emily reasserted her earlier assessment of the situation. “Sean doesn’t like me, and it’s not because I’ve got a mommy. He doesn’t like anybody.”

“He’s just trying to find out who he is,” Sheila had responded.

“That’s silly. He’s Sean. He just doesn’t like me.”

“Maybe he doesn’t like himself.”

Emily hadn’t been convinced as she snuggled under her comforter. Sheila had attempted to hand the child her favorite furry toy, but Emily pushed it onto the floor. “I don’t need Cinnamon,” Emily had stated. “Toys are for little kids.” Sheila hadn’t argued, wisely letting her child cope with the struggle of growing up. Instead she picked up the toy dog with the floppy ears and set him on the nightstand near Emily’s bed.

“Just in case you change your mind.” After her parting remarks she had kissed Emily lightly on the cheek and left the room.

“Is she all right?” Noah asked.

“I think so.”

“What was bothering her?”

“She took offense to Sean’s notion that she was a little kid. She thinks she has to grow up all in one evening.”

“Sean’s the one who has to grow up,” Noah argued. “I don’t know if he ever will!”

“It will get better,” Sheila said quietly.

“How do you know?”

“It has to. Doesn’t it?” The gray intelligence in her eyes reached out to him.

“What makes you so certain? How do you know I don’t have the makings of a hardened criminal on my hands?”

Sheila smiled, and her face, captured in the moon-glow, held a madonnalike quality that was only contradicted by the silver fire of seduction in her eyes. “Sean’s not a bad kid,” she pointed out. “He’s just not certain of himself.”

“He could have fooled me.”

“That’s exactly what he’s trying to do.”

Noah strode over to the chaise lounge where she was sitting. “How did a beautiful woman like you get so wise?” He sat next to her and his hand touched her thigh as he leaned over her to kiss her forehead.

“Don’t you remember what it was like when you were in high school?”

“I try not to.”

“Come on, admit it. Didn’t you give your parents a few gray hairs?”

“I don’t remember ever getting into as much trouble as Sean has.”

“Maybe you were smarter and just never got caught,” she suggested.

“Now you’re beginning to sound cynical.”

“Realistic.”

“Yeah, so it’s all business, is it?” Sean jeered, walking out of the darkness into the circle of light surrounding the patio. Noah, still leaning over Sheila, barely moved, but Sheila could feel all the muscles in his body become rigid.

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