style="font-size:15px;"> “It won’t be so hard, Mom. Tucker will have someone to play with instead of wanting me to entertain him all the time. He’s going to miss going to the Fuzzy Bunny, so having Sarah Ann at the house could very well make things easier for me.”
“We’ll see,” Hannah said.
“All I can do is take this one day at time,” Patty said. “Well, I’d better gather the gang and go to David’s to get Sarah Ann some clothes and let her collect a favorite toy or blanket if she has one.”
“David can’t remember anything about where Sarah Ann’s mother is?” Hannah said.
“David can’t remember anything…period. We agreed that if the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to ask Sarah Ann about her mother.”
“Hi, Mommy,” Tucker said, running into the kitchen. “Sarah Ann and me is watching Blue’s Clues.”
“Sarah Ann and I are watching Blue’s Clues,” Patty said. “Tucker, has Sarah Ann ever said anything about where her mother is?”
“Yeah, ’cause I asked her and she said her mommy was in heaven and she doesn’t think she saw her mom before she went to heaven but she isn’t sure but that’s okay ’cause she has her daddy. I told her I don’t see my daddy too much so she said I can say hello to her daddy whenever I want to. Can I have a cookie, Grandma?”
“No more cookies, Tucker,” Hannah said. “You’ll spoil your lunch.”
“’Kay,” he said, then ran back out of the kitchen.
“Well,” Hannah said, “that was easy enough. We now know that David is a widower and apparently has been for quite a while.”
Patty nodded, then shook her head. “Did you hear what Tucker said? He’s resorting to borrowing Sarah Ann’s daddy because he doesn’t see his own very much. How Peter can turn his back on his own son and… No, I’m not going to get started on that subject.”
“Good,” Hannah said. “Fussing, fuming and raising your stress level is not going to change Peter Clark’s behavior.” She paused. “I was going to suggest you leave the kids here while you go get Sarah Ann some clothes and what have you, but I suppose she needs to be there to pick her favorite things.”
Patty nodded, then got to her feet. “Thanks for babysitting, Mom. I now have to convince Sarah Ann that staying longer at our house is super-duper. She and David are very close and I’m expecting Sarah Ann’s happy bubble to burst and the tears to start at any minute. Do you realize that David doesn’t even know what his daughter looks like? That is so grim. I feel so badly for him.”
“Why don’t I take a picture of Sarah Ann with my digital camera,” Hannah said, “then print it out on the computer? I’ll come over to your place tonight, give the kids baths and put them to bed, while you take the picture to David at the hospital.”
“Oh, I can’t ask you to…”
“I’m volunteering,” Hannah said, rising. “It will be fun. I have nothing planned because this is the night for your father to attend his monthly meeting of retired police officers with your Uncle Ryan.”
“Well, okay, thank you,” Patty said. “I’ll go get the kids and you can take Sarah Ann’s picture. That really is a wonderful idea.”
Tucker wanted his picture taken if Sarah Ann was getting hers done. Hannah printed out one each for the children, then an extra of Sarah Ann for Patty to take to David.
“Is my daddy coming now?” Sarah Ann said. “I want to show my daddy my picture.”
“Sarah Ann,” Patty said, “your daddy bumped his head and his leg and got boo-boos. He has to be where they fix boo-boos for a few days. You’re going to stay with me and Tucker until his boo-boos are better. You and Tucker can color him nice pictures this afternoon and I’ll take them to the place where they tend to boo-boos and—”
“My daddy is in the place with the doctors that give shots and stuff,” Sarah Ann yelled, then burst into tears. “I want my daddy.”
“So much for the boo-boo bit,” Patty said. “Why are they always smarter than you give them credit for? Sarah Ann, sweetie, hey, don’t cry. Your daddy is going to be fine, I promise you.”
“We’ll take care of you, Sarah Ann,” Tucker said, patting the little girl on the back.
“Yes, we will,” Patty said. “Thank you for helping, Tucker. Sarah Ann, we’re going to your house now to get you some clothes. Do you have a favorite toy you’d like to bring to our house?”
Sarah Ann’s tears stopped as quickly as they had started.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she said, jumping up and down. “I want my bear. His name is Patches.”
“Okay,” Patty said brightly. “Then we’re off. See you tonight, Mom, and thanks again.”
“Do I get a hug goodbye?” Hannah said, bending down and opening her arms.
Tucker immediately rushed into his grandmother’s arms. Sarah Ann hesitated, then followed, allowing Hannah to hug her. A short time later the three little ones were buckled up in the back seat of Patty’s car headed toward the Montgomery house.
Patty knew the general area, as it was where her grandparents Margaret and Robert MacAllister lived in their majestic home. When she got closer, she pulled to the curb and consulted a map from the glove compartment. David lived two streets away from the senior MacAllisters, who considered the entire Sharpe family part of the huge MacAllister clan.
Within minutes she turned into the circular driveway leading to a two-story white stucco home with a red tile roof and a beautifully landscaped front area that sloped down to the sidewalk.
“My new house,” Sarah Ann shouted. “I see my new house right there.”
Patty turned off the ignition, assisted the children from the car, then scooped up Sophia’s carrier.
“Do you remember where you lived before you came to your new house, Sarah Ann?” Patty said, as they started toward the front door.
“Brisco,” Sarah Ann said. “Tucker, want to play with my toys?”
“Yeah,” Tucker said.
“Brisco?” Patty said, frowning.
“Brisco,” Sarah Ann said, nodding. “There were lots of hills on the streets and stuff and it rained whole bunches.”
Patty inserted the key into the lock on the front door, hesitated, then looked at Sarah Ann.
“Do you mean San Francisco?” Patty said.
Sarah Ann nodded. “Brisco.”
“Agatha Christie, eat your heart out,” Patty said smugly as they entered the house. “Oh, your new house is lovely, Sarah Ann, very nice.”
Patty swept her gaze over the large foyer, the sweeping staircase leading to the second floor, then stepped forward to
