Read Online Home Field Advantage by Janice Kay Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Janice Kay Johnson
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Lizzie
wriggled in place and confided, "I like Fritz, 'cuz he kinda looks like
Snowball. And Snowball is gentle and kind, too."
Marian ruffled the little
girl's blond bangs. "Yes, he is. But I'm not sure he's always willing to
work, like Fritz."
They all giggled.
"Snowball doesn't have to work!" one of the little boys said.
"Giving us rides isn't workl"
"No?" Marian
teased. "Then what is it?"
"It's fun!" they
all said in chorus.
"Oh, I see. Has anybody
told Snowball that?"
Lizzie looked at her as if
she were stupid. "Snowball can't understand human talk. You know
that!"
"I'd forgotten for a
minute," Marian said with a straight face. Then she laughed and hugged as
many kids as she could get her arms around. Tired as she sometimes got, what
she did wasn't really work, either. The children were too much fun. The thought
of losing the joy as well as the money scared her. "Okay, here we go,' she
said. " 'Once there was a walled city known for its beautiful horses...'
"
*****
When the doorbell rang
Wednesday evening, Marian glanced automatically at the clock. Seven-thirty. Who
on earth could it be? She dried her hands on the dish towel and raised her
voice.
"For heaven's sake,
Rhodo! Aja! Shush!" Hopeless, of course. The hysterical yaps continued
above the big shepherd's deeper, booming bark.
Ever shy, Jesse and Anna
peered around the corner from the living room when their mother went to answer
the front door.
At the unexpected sight of
John McRae standing on her doorstep, his big hand cradling the back of his
daughter's head, Marian's heart took an uncomfortable lurch. Tonight he had on
jeans and a worn leather jacket that made his shoulders look even broader. His
expression was imperturbable, while beside him Emma was dancing on her toes
like a child who could hardly wait to open presents at her birthday party.
"Well, hi," Marian
said, trying to speak above the barking. "Aja, Rhodo...!" She
gestured helplessly. "Come on in. Then they'll shut up."
Emma stooped to hug Rhoda's
big black head and let herself be kissed on the nose by the smaller dog. Marian
closed the door behind father and daughter and followed them into the living
room. When John glanced around, Marian immediately felt self- conscious again,
even though by this time she was pretty sure he wouldn't care if there were
Cheerios under the couch or fun fruits squished between the cushions. She still
felt exposed, as though on some deep level the house was her.
She had been stuck at home so
much these last three years, her life so circumscribed, that she had begun to
think of her house like a turtle does its shell, needing its protection from
more than the wind and rain. Was that why losing the house was hitting her so
hard?
John made no move to sit
down, just met her eyes. "Emma and I have a proposition for you."
Jesse was saying something to
one of the dogs and Anna clung to Marian's leg. Emma's brown eyes were fixed
eagerly on Marian's face. Marian was aware of all three children, and yet not.
Somehow the world had narrowed. All she really saw was John's face with the
shadow of a beard on his jaw, the hollows beneath his cheekbones, his mouth controlled
and his eyes watchful. She felt something similar to what she had felt the
other week, standing on her front porch, when she had known he was going to ask
her a question that might change her life. Until now, she had forgotten that
moment, the sensation of being on the brink of something earth-shattering. She
couldn't seem to think now, or anticipate. She only waited.
"We would like you to
become our housekeeper. We want you and Jesse and Anna to come live with
us."
Marian felt a rushing in her
ears, and realized that she was dizzy. "Your housekeeper?" she
echoed, then sank onto the couch.
"I didn't expect you to
be surprised," he said.
On one level the offer was a
complete surprise; but in her heart she had known what he would suggest. It was
almost too perfect to be true.
She and the
wriggled in place and confided, "I like Fritz, 'cuz he kinda looks like
Snowball. And Snowball is gentle and kind, too."
Marian ruffled the little
girl's blond bangs. "Yes, he is. But I'm not sure he's always willing to
work, like Fritz."
They all giggled.
"Snowball doesn't have to work!" one of the little boys said.
"Giving us rides isn't workl"
"No?" Marian
teased. "Then what is it?"
"It's fun!" they
all said in chorus.
"Oh, I see. Has anybody
told Snowball that?"
Lizzie looked at her as if
she were stupid. "Snowball can't understand human talk. You know
that!"
"I'd forgotten for a
minute," Marian said with a straight face. Then she laughed and hugged as
many kids as she could get her arms around. Tired as she sometimes got, what
she did wasn't really work, either. The children were too much fun. The thought
of losing the joy as well as the money scared her. "Okay, here we go,' she
said. " 'Once there was a walled city known for its beautiful horses...'
"
*****
When the doorbell rang
Wednesday evening, Marian glanced automatically at the clock. Seven-thirty. Who
on earth could it be? She dried her hands on the dish towel and raised her
voice.
"For heaven's sake,
Rhodo! Aja! Shush!" Hopeless, of course. The hysterical yaps continued
above the big shepherd's deeper, booming bark.
Ever shy, Jesse and Anna
peered around the corner from the living room when their mother went to answer
the front door.
At the unexpected sight of
John McRae standing on her doorstep, his big hand cradling the back of his
daughter's head, Marian's heart took an uncomfortable lurch. Tonight he had on
jeans and a worn leather jacket that made his shoulders look even broader. His
expression was imperturbable, while beside him Emma was dancing on her toes
like a child who could hardly wait to open presents at her birthday party.
"Well, hi," Marian
said, trying to speak above the barking. "Aja, Rhodo...!" She
gestured helplessly. "Come on in. Then they'll shut up."
Emma stooped to hug Rhoda's
big black head and let herself be kissed on the nose by the smaller dog. Marian
closed the door behind father and daughter and followed them into the living
room. When John glanced around, Marian immediately felt self- conscious again,
even though by this time she was pretty sure he wouldn't care if there were
Cheerios under the couch or fun fruits squished between the cushions. She still
felt exposed, as though on some deep level the house was her.
She had been stuck at home so
much these last three years, her life so circumscribed, that she had begun to
think of her house like a turtle does its shell, needing its protection from
more than the wind and rain. Was that why losing the house was hitting her so
hard?
John made no move to sit
down, just met her eyes. "Emma and I have a proposition for you."
Jesse was saying something to
one of the dogs and Anna clung to Marian's leg. Emma's brown eyes were fixed
eagerly on Marian's face. Marian was aware of all three children, and yet not.
Somehow the world had narrowed. All she really saw was John's face with the
shadow of a beard on his jaw, the hollows beneath his cheekbones, his mouth controlled
and his eyes watchful. She felt something similar to what she had felt the
other week, standing on her front porch, when she had known he was going to ask
her a question that might change her life. Until now, she had forgotten that
moment, the sensation of being on the brink of something earth-shattering. She
couldn't seem to think now, or anticipate. She only waited.
"We would like you to
become our housekeeper. We want you and Jesse and Anna to come live with
us."
Marian felt a rushing in her
ears, and realized that she was dizzy. "Your housekeeper?" she
echoed, then sank onto the couch.
"I didn't expect you to
be surprised," he said.
On one level the offer was a
complete surprise; but in her heart she had known what he would suggest. It was
almost too perfect to be true.
She and the
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