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BOOK 6
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Being Yours BOOK 6
‘Jill, dear, are you going to be okay?’Eunice’s worried face hovered behind Jill in the mirror. Her face was bruised, swollen definitely, but nothing was broken. The pimch had landed under her eye and across from her nose on the cheek-bone, so although it had felt like her face had been shattered at the time, Jill knew she was fortunate not to be undergoing cosmetic surgery tonight.‘I’m fine, Eimice,’ she said, applying another cold compress to her face. ‘I’m starting to get a little sore in my arms and legs, but that will pass, too.’ She sighed deeply, looking down into the washbasin as she rinsed the cloth out. ‘I just wish somebody would call and tell us that Holly is safe.’Eunice patted her shoulder. ‘The Christmas season means believing, Jill. I believe that Holly will be back here soon, snug in her little basket. I can’t imagine anything else.’It was the season to believe, and if ever they could use a miracle, now was definitely the time. ‘I just keep hearing her cry . . .’
Being Yours BOOK 6
Jill checked on Eunice, who was still resting. She smiled to see that Joey was tucked into bed with his grandmother. Apparently, Eunice wasn’t taking any chances in case Joey had a nightmare. It was entirely possible he could. The memory of the child beating Holly’s abductor with small, determined fists, then flying a foot through the air when Curtis slapped him sent a chill coursing through Jill. She dropped a kiss on his forehead and checked his cheek for a bruise. There was none, but she was glad Eunice had thought to put him in her bed for the night. It would be a miracle if they all didn’t suffer from night sweats tonight.Carefully securing all the doors and taking a last turn through the house to check the windows thoughvshe knew Curtis was safe in jail now - Jill fed Holly a last bottle, changed her into a nightie and tucked her into the basket. Placing it beside her own bed, she then changed into a long cotton nightgown and readied herself for bed. She’d just turned out the l
Being Yours BOOK 6
Jill took Joey’s wet clothes off in the laundry room. Some pajamas she’d folded were lying on the dryer and Jill snatched them up, deciding it wouldn’t hurt if he ate breakfast in his Bugs Bunny jammies just this once. Not taking him upstairs to dress now would mean she could sit at the table with him and finish feeding Holly while he ate. That way she could be with both of them at the same time.Joey seemed to have forgotten last night’s troubles as she swiftly dressed him, then led him back to the table.‘Can . . . can we watch cartoons?’‘I don’t see why not.’ Jill flipped on the TV and settled pn the plank seat with Holly. Joey dug into his cereal, completely imconcemed. She sighed with relief. Truthfully, she’d worried how he would act when he foxmd his father had left. But he didn’t say a word, and she realized that Dustin was usually gone by daybreak so the routine was simply familiar to Joey. He didn’t ask what was wrong with his grandmother, either. Jill thought that since sh
Being Yours BOOK 6
The house seemed still and too quiet without Joey. Eunice’s comforting presence was missing; the anticipation that flashed through Jill when Dustin might stride in at any moment was gone. It was just her and Holly now, and Holly was taking a nap.Jill took a shower and tidied her room, with one ear listening for the phone all the while. The fact that Dustin had not called worried her. She knew he was aware of her concern for his mother, so he would want to reassure Jill as soon as he could. Telling herself not to panic over the silent phone, Jill reasoned he hadn’t called because he didn’t know anything about Eimice’s condition yet. Though she couldn’t bear to think of it, Eimice might be worse off than they could have known. Jill’s stomach tightened at the thought. Eunice is in fine healthy she told herself, even as a shadow crossed her mind, ugly and ill-conceiyed. What if she's dying}Jill sighed, vehemently wishing that thought had not popped into her conscious. Losing Eunice woul
Being Yours BOOK 6
Joey sat in Grandmother Copeland’s kitchen, hearing her voice carry angry tones all the way down the hall. The cookie in front of him lost its appeal. Whoever Grandma was mad at was in big trouble. He sighed and looked around the big kitchen. His stomach hurt, and he wished his father would come and get him. Grandmother’s cookies didn’t taste like Jill’s, and though he loved his grandfather, Joey was sad. Everybody in the house was making brows. If he could just go home, he thought everything would be much better.Swinging his legs, Joey wondered what baby Holly was doing. Sleeping, probably. All that baby did was sleep. He imderstood she was going to go home one day, but he sure did like having her arotmd. She made a lot of noise sometimes, and one time when she burped and he’d been sitting too close to her, he thought she smelled like a sandwich. That had made him laugh.She was soft, too. He liked touching her head because it reminded him of the velvet on Rooster’s nose. One day, m
Being Yours BOOK 6
Jill heard Dustin’s boots on the stairs. He didn’t stop at her room as she’d expected. Instead, he went down the hall to his own room. For a moment it was quiet then she heard him talking loudly to someone.She knew she should get up and close her bedroom door. She should go downstairs and get something ready for him to eat. By the tone of his voice, she could tell the call was personal and one he probably wouldn’t appreciate her hearing.Gening up to make her way down the stairs, the sudden mention of her name caught her ears. Jill paused, knowing in her heart that what she was doing was going to hurt her. People who listened to conversations about themselves invariably got their feelings hurt.‘Jill is not the problem, for chrissakes. I’m not sure what Maxine’s whole problem is, Roger. All I know is, I was informed that the Copelands have decided Joey is in danger. Until Thursday, I don’t get a chance to tell my side of the story.’He was silent for a few moments. ‘Jill has done a s
Being Yours BOOK 6
Wearing jeans and a T-shirt fit for loading boxes she had never unpacked at her parents’ house, Jill looked around the contemporary apartment where she and Carl had once planned to spend their newly married life. Sheets, towels, and other items necessary for starting a home filled the boxes. There was no reason to take them out now.She was surprised to see that Carl hadn’t moved out very many of his things. She had told him she was turning in the notice, which she had done the day after he’d paid his surprise visit to the ranch. In some ways, Carl was a strangely motivated person, but getting his possessions out of her hair apparently wasn’t something that motivated him greatly.She tried not to think about how depressing it was to have to look at all of his stuff. One phone message at Carl’s office was all she was leaving to warn him that if he didn’t get over here at a pre-arranged time and move out, everything he had parked in the apartment was going to the charity drop-off.After
Being Yours BOOK 6
Dustin pulled his truck into the Copelands’ drive. He stared out the windshield, wondering what Joey was doing right now. It was nearly lunchtime on a cold and blustery December day. Taking a deep breath, he told himself to remain calm no matter what Maxine said to him.Ringing the doorbell, Dustin ignored the chill seeping through his jeans as he waited for someone to answer. To his surprise, Maxine herself answered the door.By the look on her face, she was just as shocked to see him.‘Morning, Maxine.’‘Wh&t are you doing here?’ Her voice was as brisk and frozen as the weather.‘I think it’s time you and I talked,’ he replied. Though his tone was mild, his jaw was clenched with the effort of playing it cool.‘You’ll excuse me if I don’t invite you in?’Maxine glanced over her shoulder. Dustin surmised she was keeping his visit secret from eitherJoey or David. It really didn’t matter. He could have his say just as easily out here on the porch.‘I want you to get your lawyer off my
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