1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [93]
He would’ve commented on this if not for the fact that Corrie started to weep in earnest. Huge sobs racked her shoulders. Then, shocking him completely, she broke away and ran down the hallway.
For an instant Roy was too stunned to react. He found her standing on the tips of her toes in front of the hall closet, reaching for a new box of tissues.
“What’s going on?”
“She wouldn’t tell me. I was right there. I saw it, Roy. I saw it and she could barely look me in the eye. I tried to talk to her and she…” The rest was muffled as Corrie tore open the box and pressed a large wad of tissues to her face.
“What did you see?” Roy asked gently. He was growing concerned. This behavior of hers wasn’t like any he’d seen in more than thirty years of marriage.
Corrie lowered her hand, crumpling the tissues. “I didn’t tell you earlier, but I saw what was in Gloria’s cart,” she whispered.
Roy couldn’t imagine what their daughter might have purchased to cause this kind of reaction. Had Gloria taken to eating weird food? Like what? Or—
“Roy,” Corrie said, grabbing his sleeve. “Gloria had a pregnancy test kit in her cart.”
“She’s pregnant?”
Corrie started weeping again. “I think she must be.”
Twenty-Six
Christie patted little Christopher’s back in the hopes of coaxing a burp from the squirming infant. Teri sat across from her holding Robbie. Thankfully Jimmy was sound asleep in the nursery. Bobby was busy elsewhere, doing whatever it was Bobby did.
Although Christie continued to come over on Wednesdays to help her sister with the babies, she hadn’t seen James yet. Their disagreement had gone on far longer than she’d ever expected. He hadn’t budged, nor had she. Christie hated to think their relationship was over, but maybe it was, since obviously neither one was willing to make the first move.
“I haven’t seen James around lately,” she told her sister cautiously. Christie didn’t want to ask and didn’t want to put up with an inquisition from Teri, but curiosity had gotten the better of her. Always before, James had sought her out. Not this time. She had the distinct impression he was away—traveling or perhaps simply gone.
Or…another possibility. Maybe he was keeping out of sight, waiting for her to apologize. Perhaps she should; she didn’t know anymore. Pride and stubbornness had carried her this far, but they’d worn thin.
“James has been doing a lot of traveling lately,” Teri said.
“Oh.” Christie remembered one occasion, back in May, when Bobby and James had gone on some kind of business trip. Other than that, Bobby hadn’t been gone much; when he did travel, James accompanied him. He was more than Bobby’s driver, he was his confidant, best friend and—although no one had ever said as much—his bodyguard.
“‘Oh’?” Teri echoed. “Is that all you have to say?”
Christie considered the question. “All right, if you must know, James and I had a falling-out.”
Her sister laughed, startling Christopher. “You think I don’t know this? You’ve been in a bad mood for weeks.”
“That is a gross exaggeration.” Christie had done her utmost to be bright and cheerful whenever she spent time with Teri, pretending nothing was amiss. To all outward appearances, she was doing just fine, busy with work and school.
Given that she was at the house every Wednesday, James could easily have spoken to her, if he had any interest. However, he hadn’t taken advantage of the opportunity, and now she was wondering if he planned to end the relationship. That possibility was a painful one, but she had to admit it was what she’d started to believe.
Christie stared down her sister. “I have made every effort to be as congenial as possible.” Apparently Teri had little appreciation of how difficult that had been.
Her sister rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”
“I have so.”
Teri released an exaggerated sigh. “It’s taken you long enough, but thank goodness you’re coming to your senses.”
“What do you mean?” Christie asked, defensive now but still curious.
“You finally got up the nerve to ask about James,” Teri said,