Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven

Author:Georgia Bockoven
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781574901955
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1998-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter

17

Karla resisted the temptation to tell Grace to turn down the radio that she’d brought into the kitchen from the bedroom. Twice already that morning Karla had been accused of relapsing into her bossy older sister routine, and it was only nine-thirty. She told herself she was only looking out for Anna, trying to keep a modicum of control over the bedlam that surrounded them, but Anna seemed more rejuvenated than exhausted by all the activity. Up since seven, she’d divided her time between the kitchen, where Karla, Heather, and Grace were preparing Thanksgiving dinner, and the living room, where Bill and Jason and Jamie were making table decorations.

“How small do you want these pieces of corn bread?” Grace asked Karla.

“I don’t know. Ask Grandma.” Karla finished dicing the onions and added them to the celery and butter and spices already bubbling in the heavy skillet on the stove.

Heather finished cleaning the turkey and put it on the counter to stuff. “If we don’t get the dressing in this bird pretty soon, it’s not going to be ready until tomorrow.”

Karla scraped the last of the onions from the cutting board into the pan and took it to the sink to wash. She had on yesterday’s clothes, her hair was held back with a plastic clip, and she smelled like an onion. “As soon as we get this thing into the oven, I’m staking claim to the bathroom.”

“Would you mind if I go first?” Grace said. “I’ll be quick.”

“That’ll be a first,” Heather said. She noticed something outside and leaned as far forward as her stomach would allow to look out the window. “Someone’s here.”

Grace and Karla looked, too. Grace let out an appreciative whistle, Karla groaned.

“Oh, no . . .” Karla grabbed the clip in her hair and tossed it on the counter. “What’s he doing here?” She wiped her hands on her jeans and tucked in her shirt. By then Mark and Cindy were on the front porch.

Heather’s eyes widened. “That’s Mark Taylor? He’s really cute, Karla.”

“Cute, hell,” Grace said. “He’s gorgeous.”

“Shut up,” Karla said, her voice low. “He’ll hear you.”

Heather eased open the window to listen when Bill answered Mark’s knock.

“Hi, I’m Mark Taylor. Is Karla here?”

“Yeah, hang on a minute,” Bill said. The screen door squeaked as it opened. “Come on inside. I’ll get her for you.”

Grace reached over to finger-comb Karla’s hair. She made several attempts before she frowned and shrugged and pinched Karla’s cheeks. “Sorry, it’s the best I can do.”

“He’s just a friend,” Karla insisted, trying to make her voice casual.

“And Ryan Gosling is just an actor,” Grace fired back.

“Karla . . .” Bill appeared in the doorway. “There’s someone here to see you.”

“Go for it,” Heather whispered, putting her hand at the small of Karla’s back and giving her a nudge forward.

“If you don’t, I will,” Grace added.

Karla sent them both threatening looks. “Thanks,” she said to Bill. “I’ll be right there.”

“This reminds me of the time we waited up to see if that guy who took Karla to the prom was going to kiss her good night,” Heather said to Grace.

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