Free What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas Page A

leaned back in her chair, her appetite gone. Her gaze caught on Cal’s.
    He waved his fork over his plate and told her, “Lucy’s a drama queen.”
    “And mouthy,” his father added.
    “And afraid she’ll never see Anna again,” said Biscuit, who seemed incredibly sensible despite his hair. Hannah found she liked him. Very much. “She’ll be able to visit, won’t she?”
    “Of course.” They could all visit— if she and Anna decided to adopt each other.
    “Would anyone like more gravy? I did a good job on it this time, I think. Nice and thick and I strained out all the lumps. Biscuit, dear, you haven’t asked for seconds and I know your hollow leg isn’t full yet. Here Cal, pass him . . .”
    The problem was, she and Anna both had to decide that staying together was best for both of them. Hannah had a pyramid of doubts, the very tip of which was the basic desire to take on the responsibility; plus the potential dramatics of living with a teenager. Then, on the off chance they wanted to work something out, could she honestly say she was the best person for the job? Emotionally, she had a long fuse but on occasion her explosions were catastrophic. And while she’d only lost control of herself twice in her life, she couldn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be a third time.
    And Anna . . . God only knew what Anna was thinking.
    Time. There was time to decide. Time to get to know each other better, she reminded herself. Time to look at all the facts and choices. No life-altering plans needed to be made before the dinner dishes were done.
    “We’ll see you at the church tomorrow, then,” Grady said, shrugging into his brown jacket, getting ready to leave once the last dish was stowed away. The boys were already out the door and the girls had been called down from Anna’s room. She could hear their footsteps in the hall above. “Everything’s been taken care of so there’s nothing for you to do but show up.”
    “And the alter-society ladies, friends of your mother’s from her church, have planned a nice little lunch for afterward,” Janice said with a pat on Hannah’s forearm. “They’re hoping you’ll come, but they told me to tell you that they would understand if you weren’t up to it.” She turned in the doorway to leave. “Cal? Are you waiting for your sister or is she coming home with me? You both have school tomorrow afternoon, you know. I hope your homework is done. Biscuit, you wash that gunk out of your hair before I see you next. Church is no place for self-expression.”
    Watching his mother, Grady let out a long, loud breath, like he might at the end of a tiring day. He looked like he could use a hug . . . but she wasn’t the one to give it to him. Not if she planned to slide through the next two weeks without reopening that particular bag-o-bugs. She had her life, he had his; they were different people now and she liked it that way.
    He turned, studied Hannah’s expression, and gave her a resigned smile—made sweet and boyish by the dimples.
    “Sorry about that spinning head at the dinner table. I can promise you it won’t happen again.”
    “Please don’t say anything to her. I can handle honest opinions.”
    “There’s still the little matter of respectful delivery.”
    “Let me try to earn that— What?” she asked when he grinned.
    “You really don’t know much about kids, do you?”
    “I told you that.”
    “Yes, you did.” Looking up, she saw his gaze had dropped to her mouth. Instinctively she pressed her lips together and curled them inward, they were tingling. He inhaled and looked up when he heard the girls on the stairs. “You’ll learn fast enough. Get some rest. I’d tell you that everything will look different tomorrow, but that would be a lie.”
    She laughed—what else could she do?—and glanced up as the girls hit the landing and started down toward them. They exchanged a look and said goodbye. Anna stayed on the bottom step as Lucy crossed the