Read Online Dana's Valley by Janette Oke - Free Book Online Page A

they belonged to Brett, and this brought on another round of laughing. The second old lady was Travis, and the third turned out to be Graham. They all looked fantastic. Once they realized they’d been recognized, they each took off their hats, nodding and bowing for us in elderly fashion. The room applauded.
    Dana and Marcy each had a camera, so flashes blinked as cameras clicked. We got used to the sudden flares throughout the evening as one or the other caught some incident on film.
    Marcy’s mom had been quite generous in allowing us to choose our own menu. She also had gone to a great deal of effort to prepare it all for us. We girls spent some time running up and down the stairs, bringing down ice and drinks and refilling platters. By the time the guests had finished eating, we were starting to feel tired. But we hadn’t even gotten to the games yet.
    After participating in two, which included a great deal of raucous laughter, I ducked out of the third and sat in a corner where I could see the fun. The floppy brown paws of my teddy costume had become stained with punch, so I took them off and put them on the seat beside me. I wondered how the thick paint that I’d used to make my big black nose was holding up.
    â€œHi.”
    Surprised, I looked up at Graham Dawson, Travis’s brother.
    â€œHi.”
    He eyed the seat beside me and motioned toward it. “Mind if I sit down?”
    â€œNo, go ahead.” I picked up my discarded paws and stuffed them under my chair. “I like your costume.”
    He grinned back. “It was Travis’s idea. We got the clothes from my grandma. She keeps everything. I’ll bet they’re over fifty years old.”
    I laughed. “They suit you.”
    â€œYeah, that’s what my dad said. I’ll take that as a compliment, by the way.” He grinned. “Mom wasn’t quite as enthusiastic, but we talked her into letting us use her makeup.”
    The party game was over. I rose to go.
    â€œHey, Erin, I’m sorry about your granddad.” He clearly was feeling awkward about how to say the words, but I liked the sincerity in his voice. It was good to know that people around cared—even though I really didn’t know Graham that well.
    â€œThanks.”
    All in all, we thought the party was a huge success, and we already were talking about the next one.

    I guess we all expected Grandma to stay with us for a while and then decide to go back to her own big house again. But it didn’t turn out that way. She talked about it from time to time, making statements like “I should really be going home and letting you get on with your lives.” Or, “I just hate to think of being all alone again.” Or, “Brett, you must be getting anxious for your grandma to let you have your own room back.” Each time she said something like that, either Mom or Dad would assure her she was welcome to stay in our home for as long as she liked. But I think we all were feeling a little bit crowded, in more ways than one.
    The first clear indication that she was reluctant to car-ry on with her own life was when she told Uncle Patrick over the phone to go ahead and sell the motor home. I don’t think any of us expected her to drive it. Still, I saw Brett look up with a funny expression. There went the fishing trip for sure. Maybe he’d been hoping that he and Dad would be able to take it.
    Grandma did go back to her house once. She made it clear that she planned to be gone for just a short while. She stayed away for only three days, and then Dad got a call that she was at the bus station and he could come pick her up.
    She had more suitcases this time. And she did bring Uncle Eric’s picture. She had some other pictures too. Her favorite one of her and Grandpa, and some of the whole family. I think it was the pictures that made me realize she intended to stay for quite a while. Maybe forever.
    If Mom and Dad were