Wounded Grace by Tanya Stowe

Author:Tanya Stowe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: christian Fiction
ISBN: 9781611163933
Publisher: Pelican Ventures Book Group
Published: 2014-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

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Lance sat in the sitting area downstairs, watching the walkway for Madison’s approach. Today was the first morning she didn’t have breakfast waiting for them when he and Vivian rose. He had to admit, he’d missed her silent, comforting presence. He told himself it was probably because Vivian had been particularly distant this morning.

His sister had slept poorly and awakened more depressed than usual. Even now, she sat in the chair opposite him, a cup of cold coffee in her hand, staring absently into space. After a morning of her empty answers and vagueness, they both needed a shot of Madison’s positive attitude.

When he saw her walking down the pathway, he rose and hurried to the entryway.

“Oh, hello.” She shut the door behind her and smoothed her windblown hair. “I hope breakfast was OK. I had phone messages to handle this morning.”

Lance smiled. “Cereal was just fine.”

Madison greeted Vivian as she walked from the parlor.

“Viv, we had a message this morning from the flower store. We didn’t specify a color for the free-standing candelabras we ordered for the wedding. He has white or silver.”

“Oh, silver, to match the large plant stands.” Viv started to turn away.

“But…don’t you remember? You decided you preferred the white wicker plant stands.”

“Oh…yes, I had forgotten. Then white candelabras, of course.” She stared at her cup. “My coffee’s cold. I think I’ll get another cup.” She headed up the stairs.

“Before you go…” Madison hurried to catch her attention. “Susanna called. Her kitchen sink is backing up again.”

“We’ll take care of it. Can you call Bill?” Viv didn’t pause or turn around.

“Right,” Madison said, then spoke under her breath. “Bill is the electrician. Stan is the plumber.” Slumping slightly, she headed down the hall to the small Heart’s Haven office. Lance followed her.

“I’m sorry so much work is falling on you.”

She glanced back over her shoulder, seeming surprised that he followed her. “It’s not the work that’s worrying me.” She dropped the large stack of mail she’d been carrying onto the desk and slipped out of her sweater. “I was just hoping to see a bit of interest from Vivian, at least in the wedding. I guess there’s not much improvement, yet.”

“It takes time.” Lance didn’t add that it had taken him almost a year to be able to think clearly. But then, Gwen’s death had been so unexpected, so abrupt. There had been so much paperwork, insurance bills…settling everything had seemed to go on forever. Each new piece of paper had made the accident seem like it had happened yesterday, until everything was so overwhelming, he couldn’t go on. But Viv wasn’t even trying to handle the work. She was handing it off to Madison. A new thought occurred to him.

“Was this how it was when Vivian’s first husband became sick?”

Madison stiffened. “If you mean how I took charge—”

“No, I meant how Viv left everything to you.”

That seemed to deflate her. She shrugged. “Viv gives her heart and soul to the people she loves. If something happens to them, it takes a serious toll on her.

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