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Blood drained from his heart and brain at his sister’s comment "Yes," Steve admitted, and the word felt as if it had been ripped fro to love Carol’s child; he accepted the baby then as surely as he knew the oing to be as proud and as pleased as if she were his own seed

"Yes," he repeated, stronger this ti with a newly discovered joy "I plan on taking this parenting business seriously"

"Good," Lindy said, and opened her purse once more She drew out a plastic dish and spoon "I take it you and Carol are talking to each other now"

S about hoell they’d "communicated" the day before "You could say that," he answered, leaning back in his chair, content in the knowledge that once he returned they would reive up on you both," Lindy said, shaking her head "I don’t know anyone more stubborn than you And Carol’s so da with her, either"

They’d both learned lessons in those areas Painful ones

"Take care of her forto his sister "I’ile now, delicate in body and spirit"

"I don’t think she’ll be workingher as often as I can without being obvious about it"

Her job had been an area they’d both avoided discussing, because ultimately it involved Todd As ood store where Carol was employed

"I’d appreciate that," he murest picking her up and driving her to ith me"

"That’s miles out of your way"

"No, it isn’t," she returned, giving him an odd look "Rush’s and my apartment is less than a ht past her street onby and pick her up"

"True, but Larson’s is the opposite direction fro plant"

"Larson’s? What’s Larson’s?"

"Larson’s Sporting Goods where Carol works" Even saying it brought an unreasonable surge of anger It had always bothered hi to do with the store

"Carol doesn’t work at a sporting goods store She works for Boeing," Lindy inforh he’d recently landed from Mars "She’s been there over a year now"

"Boeing?" Steve repeated "She works for Boeing? I… I didn’t know that"

"Is Larson’s the place she used to work?"

Steve nodded, wondering how much his sister knew about Carol’s relationship with the owner

"I think shelots of financial troubles She was putting in all kinds of extra hours and not getting paid Not that it mattered, she told me The couple ned the place were friends and she was doing what she could to help out I understand they’re still in business Carol never told e jobs"

Steve chewed on that information Apparently for all their talk about honest coain

Lindy re soe concoction that faintly resembled mashed carrots

"Good Lord, that looks awful"

"This?" She pointed the spoon at the container "Trust me, it’s dreadful stuff"

"What is it?"

Lindy’s gaze linked with his "You mean you don’t know?"

"If I did, do you think I’d be asking?"

"It’s sweet potatoes"

"Sweet potatoes?" he echoed, wrinkling his nose "What are you doing eating theht they were a holiday food"

"I just told you"

"No, you didn’t" He didn’t knohat kind of guessing ga now, but apparently he’d missed soet ratulations, you already toldthe sweet potatoes," Lindy went on to explain in a voice that was slow and clear, as though she were explaining this to a preschooler

Steve scratched the area behind his left ear "Obviously I’ here"

"Obviously!"

"Well, don’t keepsweet potatoes"

Lindy nodded "Three times a day At least, that hat Carol recommended"