Free As Time Goes By (The Californians 2) by Lori Wick Page A

went that Gilbert had simply taken her home.
    twelve
    Bobbie was shivering uncontrollably by the time they reached the house. She stood just inside her front door and tried to calm down. Jeff had come a little farther into the living room and found himself staring at her once again.
    In truth, Jeff was horrified over what he had just done. He asked himself how he could possibly have left her at the mercantile after witnessing the fact that she hadn't even recognized him in the storeroom, and again as they walked down the street she had thought he was Gilbert.
    Something inside him had nearly torn in two as he had felt her arm trembling on his own on the walk home.
    "I'm sorr) Bobble. I feel ashamed I wasn't more sensitive to your needs."
    "It's all right, Jeff. I should have explained. I need to talk with your father. It never occurred to me that your family didn't realize the problem I have with my vision." Bobbie's voice was soft, almost resigned.
    "It's not going to change your status on the job, Bobie. I can promise you that."
    89 Time Goes By 87

    Bobbie only shrugged, clearly not believing him, and began to move across the room. That it was familiar to her was obvious, but Jeff was still pretty disturbed, and so he spoke up.
    "Bobbie, if you'll just tell me what you need, I can get it."
    "That's all right, Jeff. You don't need to stay. I'll come back as soon as I repair my glasses."
    Jeff ignored her and deliberately moved to block her path. She stopped and stared up at him, noticing ab sently that she was feeling warmer.
    Jeff brought his face down to what he believed to be
    very close. "Can you see me?"
    "Pretty much."
    Jeff moved again, this time until his nose was no more
    than an inch from hers. "Now?" "Yes."
    "I want you to tell me what you need. I really can be of much more use than I was here in the last hour. So if you'll just tell me what you want, I'll get it."
    Bobbie could see that he was determined. "I need to go into the kitchen."
    Jeff turned his back to her. "Grab hold of the back of my coat." Bobbie grabbed on and was led into the kitchen.
    "Now," she said, "over in the pantry there's a basket with odds and ends in it." She was quiet while Jeff retrieved it.
    "What I need is a small tool that repairs the tiny hinges in these frames." Bobbie reached into her pocket for the glasses, and Jeff seated them both at the table.
    Jeff nearly pressed the tool into her hand but instead picked up the glasses she had laid on the table. Bobbie
    didn't object, but leaned very close in an effort to see him work. He worked with careful precision, no easy task with Bobbie's nose almost touching his cheek. He no ticed how nice her hair smelled and nearly told her so,
    but just then the back door opened and in walked Troy. "Is that you, Dad?"
    "What happened to your glasses?" Bobbie's question about who he was told him instantly, before he had even looked at her, that she couldn't see. Never was Troy more protective than when his sister couldn't see. Even as a child he could become almost violent if Bobbie were
    threatened when she was without her glasses. "They broke at work." 're you all right?"
    "Yes," Bobbie answered, but would have scowled at her brother had she seen the measured look he was giving Jeff. Although aware of Troy's scrutiny, Jeff felt it was best to ignore it.
    "Got it!" Jeff said with great satisfaction. He meticu lously wiped the fingerprints from the lenses before handing them back to Bobbie.
    "Thanks, Jeff," Bobble said with a relieved smile when she could see again. She then looked at her brother. "How come you're home?"
    Troy shrugged. A family friend had come into the livery to say he thought he had seen Bobbie in front of the mercantile. Troy had been unable to concentrate after that so he took off to find out if it had been her. There had been no sign of her in the shipping office and Troy had nearly run home in a state of panic to find her. She had been out of their life for so long and it had