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“I called your office to ask about dinner Sunday, and John said you’d nearly been killed in a fire. Why didn’t you call me? I nearly fainted dead away over what John said!”
His sister tended to exaggerate a bit. The utter shock and excitement in her voice told him she was hyped up over this. He hadn’t meant to upset her so. Working to calm her down, he reassured her. “It’s okay, Sunni. My neighbor’s house caught fire. She, her daughter and I are fine.”
He didn’t want to say he’d gone inside if she didn’t know.
“You went in after them.”
Oh, well. So much for her not knowing that. He was really in for it now. She took a breath, not waiting for him to answer, and continued with her tirade.
“Are you crazy? Ben, that’s what firemen are trained to do, not citizens. I mean…” She paused.
He heard her take a deep breath. “You’re my only brother. I could have lost you.”
At the waver in her voice, he realized she was going to cry. Worried at that sound, the one sound that could cripple him, that sound that would bring any man to his knees, he knew he had to divert her, and quick. “Annie and her daughter are staying here. Katie is five, about Ronnie’s size,” he said.
“Veronica is six.”
“I know, but when I saw Katie I thought of Ronnie.”
“You and that infernal nickname,” Sunni muttered, no longer sounding in tears but put out with him. Relieved, he relaxed a bit.
“I wondered if you—”
“Wait a minute.”
He paused. “What?”
“You have a woman and child staying with you?”
She’d gone from crying to incredulous in under thirty seconds. That was his Sunni. “Yeah. They couldn’t very well stay in their house until they knew how bad the damage was. The doctor wanted to give them some medicine to help them rest and they would have had to stay in the hospital otherwise.”
“Doesn’t she have friends?”
Ben paused, stumped. “To be honest, I don’t know. She was in shock over her house. I was there. I offered.”
“She cried, didn’t she?”
Ben scowled at the phone. “I’m her neighbor,” he informed his nosy sister. “It was the right thing to do.”
“Well, that’s nice, Ben. I’m sure it is. But if they’re staying there… I mean, what are they doing about toiletries and clothes and—”
“Do you have any old clothes that Katie could borrow until tomorrow when we can go over to her house? I know it’s asking a lot, but—”
“No, it’s not. I’ll go through Veronica’s stuff and come right—”
“Over this evening.” He cut in, trying to slow his sister down. He’d diverted her into her helping mode. He usually shunned that mode of Sunni’s, but considering the alternative, he felt this was a great distraction.
“I’ll bring supper. David is offshore, working, and won’t be back for a few more days so I’d love to bring food over to eat. I hope you don’t mind. I mean, I know you’re not used to cooking for more than yourself.”
Ben realized his sister was right. A yawn caught him off guard. “Yeah. That sounds good, sis. Listen, I took some medication the doctor gave me and it’s kicking in. Can we discuss this around six o’clock tonight?”
“I’ll be there. And Ben?”
“Yeah?” he asked, shoving the covers back and reseating himself.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Me, too, sis.”
“I love you.”
“You too.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
He cradled the phone in its place and slipped under the covers. Talking with his sister was like a roller coaster ride of emotions. She was a very energetic person who cared deeply about him.
Raised by their elderly grandmother, he and Sunni shared a special relationship.
Being dropped off that day together, all alone, with just a suitcase of clothes had forced them to share a tighter bond than most siblings.
He should have called her first thing after he got home.
He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten to do so.
Shaking his head, he allowed himself to relax, promising he’d make it up to her later tonight—when she came over for supper.
Chapter Five
One female in a bachelor’s household is disconcerting, two or more you just might as well give up and accept the inevitability of disaster.
—Ben’s Laws of Life
A giggle woke her.
Thinking it was her daughter, Stephanie rolled over and opened her eyes.
A boy, perhaps four or five, stood beside her bed, a big grin on his face, two crooked teeth sticking out as he smiled.
Dark brown eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Well, hello,” she said, shifting to sit up.
“That’s Justin. I’m Veronica.”
Stephanie glanced at the door where an older version of the child in front of her stood. The older child had perfectly straight teeth and long brown curly hair. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Stephanie.”
“Uncle Ben said you were Annie. He asked me to bring you this dress that Mom brought over.”
In her hands she held a dark blue house-dress—strings tied at the throat, short sleeves with a stretchy waist. It didn’t look like something she’d wear, but she was so very grateful for any feminine clothing she knew she would put it on and be happy with it.
“Thank you.” Stephanie accepted the dress from the girl.
“Mama brought dinner. Katie is already in there.”
“My daughter?”
Veronica grinned. “She’s helping Mama set the table. I got out of it because she wanted to do it. Uncle Ben said to let you sleep some until dinner.”
“I see. Well, then, why don’t you run on and tell him I’m up and I’ll be right there, okay?”
“Okay. Come on, Justin.”
She walked over and grabbed her brother’s hand.
“I wanna stay.”
“You can’t. She has to put her dress on,” the older sister ordered.
Justin didn’t argue but followed his sister out.
Stephanie quickly took off the shirt Ben had given her and slipped the dress on, trying to regain her equilibrium. She wasn’t used to waking up in a stranger’s house with unfamiliar children staring at her. To find out her daughter was with strangers was even more disconcerting.
She quickly brushed her hair and left the room, still barefoot but at least covered and semipresentable.
As she entered the living room she caught sight of Ben handing the silverware to his sister, who handed it to Katie. Stephanie paused and watched as her daughter carefully began laying out the forks and then knives and spoons. Everything else was on the table.
And it smelled delicious.
“Oh, you must be Annie,” a tall, willowy woman said from the kitchen. She came forward, reached out and hugged Stephanie.
“Actually, it’s Stephanie,” Stephanie corrected, accepting the hug.
“Stephanie?” She glanced at her brother in query then at Stephanie. “You poor thing. I heard what happened.” She reached for Stephanie and took her hand and squeezed it, then continued to hold it. “I’m Sunni, Ben’s older sister. I live over in Slaughter. When I understood what straits you were in I had to help. Hope you like smothered chicken and okra.” After releasing Stephanie’s hand, she motioned toward the table.
Stephanie nodded, her stomach grumbling in welcome of a meal. “It smells wonderful. I can’t believe I slept the day away.” Straits? She wondered just what Sunni meant by that statement and what Ben had told her.
She was also embarrassed that it was already dinnertime and she hadn’t awakened once during the day. Right now, however, what she really wanted was something to drink. Her throat still hurt, a painful reminder of the catastrophe that morning. But not just her throat hurt, she realized suddenly. For some reason so did the muscles in her arms and legs and back. Actually, she felt as if she’d run a marathon.
“Why don’t we go ahead and sit down and eat then,” Sunni said, interrupting Stephanie’s musings.
Ben dried his hands on a towel and crossed toward the dining room table. “I hear you met Sunni’s children.” He patted Sunni’s daughter on the shoulder as he passed her and rubbed Justin’s head. “Her husband, David, is offshore right now.” He stopped behind a chair, pulled it out and glanced at her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to eat.”
Stephanie quickly crossed to the chair and allowed herself to be seated, surprised at the gesture but feeling oddly flustered.
Ben positioned himself next to his sister and then watched as the kids quietly pulled their napkins out and slipped them into their laps.
Well behaved, she’d give the kids that.
They immediately started dishing out food, however, which caused a problem with her daughter. Katie wasted no time in advising them how they had violated her routine. “Wait!”
Ben, who had just reached for the bread, paused, his eyes wide in surprise.
Stephanie blushed, not sure what to say. She knew exactly what the problem was.
“What is it, Katie?” Sunni asked before Stephanie had a chance to say a word.
“We can do it silently,” Stephanie offered.
Ben looked from one to the other. “Do what?”
“You didn’t pray,” Katie said, accusation in her voice. “You can’t eat until you do.”
It was obvious none of the others at the table had ever said grace before a meal. Sunni, however, smiled. “What a nice idea. Okay. Let’s pray. How do we do this now?”
Shocked, Stephanie thought surely Sunni was kidding. But the others didn’t look like she was kidding. Instead, they all stared at Katie.
“You have to bow your head like this.” Katie demonstrated by lowering her head until her chin touched her chest. She folded her hands and crooked her head, one eye opened and staring at them as she continued. “Then you close your eyes so no one can see you. Then you just talk.”
When she was certain they understood she scrunched her eyes shut. “Thank you, God, for this food. And that we aren’t hurt. And for Mommie and Mr. Ben and he saved our lives. Amen.”
Stephanie hadn’t been able to bow her head, she had been so stunned. She noted that Sunni had imitated Katie, as had her children. Ben belatedly tried to bow his head, but it was too late. With a sheepish glance at his sister he shifted the napkin in his lap.
“Amen,” Sunni echoed. “That’s very good manners, Katie. Do you think we can eat now?”
The sweet smile on Sunni’s face caused a reciprocal one to form on Katie’s. “Now we can.”
Sunni clapped. “Okay, everyone.”
Stephanie felt like apologizing but at the same time she was proud of her daughter. She hadn’t known what to do when they’d started to eat. Her daughter, however, hadn’t hesitated. And on top of that, Sunni had praised her.
Glancing up, she found Ben staring at her. He offered her a crooked smile. Relaxing, she decided to go on from there. She took a long sip of water, easing her dry throat, before accepting the chicken that was passed to her. She dished herself up something to eat.
“Did you teach Katie to do that, Stephanie?” Sunni asked as she passed the bread from her brother to Stephanie, pausing to put a piece on Justin’s plate.
“I suppose. It’s just something we’ve always done. Even at our church suppers we pray before our meals.”
“Oh. You go to church,” Sunni said, and started to cut up her son’s food.
“Yes. Down the road in Zachary, actually.”
“We’re not into church or religion,” Sunni confessed. “I guess I’ve never thought about it.”
She couldn’t believe Sunni had never been to church. “Never?”
“Well, we’ve been to a couple of funerals. But my husband and I were married by a justice of the peace. I’ve never been to Sunday service.”
