Free A Woman's Place: A Novel by Barbara Delinsky

after you saw Grandma, but you didn't tell me about it. Mommy, I had the worst allergy attack the other night, but I don't know what I ate. Daddy said it was something in the casserole, but I always eat that casserole. He had to take me to the hospital. Johnny kept saying we should call you, but Daddy said he wasn't leaving me alone to go do it, and by the time we got home and he tried, he couldn't get through, and then I fell asleep. Where was my medicine, Mommy?" I brushed at tears with the heel of my hand, then took the tissue Brody handed me. I tried not to sniffle. "I don't know, baby. I'm sure I put the kit in your bag when I packed you up to leave Cleveland, and there was extra stuff in the basement fridge. I don't know what made you sick, either. There was nothing new in the casserole. Did Mrs. Beckwith give you anything to eat in the car when she picked up you and Jenny at school that afternoon?" Something as simple as walnuts, chopped and buried in a brownie where Kikit couldn't see them, would have done it.
    "She didn't give us anything. She doesn't bring snacks like you do. We were starved! Daddy was mad when I got sick."
    "Not mad. Upset. He knows it wasn't your fault. Are you feeling okay now?"
    "Well, I'm not really hungry. Where are you?"
    "You have to eat, sweetie. If you're scared, eat pure things, like bananas and eggs. And turkey. I froze packets of it. Tell Daddy to take them out of the freezer."
    "Where are you?"
    Once, I could ignore. A second time, I couldn't. But I had been Kikit's parent long enough to know that given the slightest push she would fill in the blanks. "Where do you think I am?"
    "Daddy said you're in Santa Fe, but we told him you didn't have a store there, so he said you were opening one. You didn't tell me about it." I Page 37
    Barbara Delinsky - A Woman's Place
    heard Elizabeth's voice in the background, then Kikit's averted, "But I want to talk to Mommy, can't I talk to her a little more, just a little more?"
    "Kikit?" I rushed out before Elizabeth could take her away from me, "Was there itching this time?"
    "Yup. I need a gift for Stacey's party, Mommy. When are you coming home?"
    "I'm trying to figure that out. Does your chest feel okay?"
    "Yeah. Daddy stayed with me the whole day I had to miss school." That was something, at least. Dennis usually headed in the opposite direction when the children were sick. He claimed he didn't want to get in the way.
    "How is school, sweetie?"
    "Okay. I didn't get to give my butterfly report yet, because Sammy Hayes took too long giving his one on stars, so I'm giving mine tomorrow. Johnny wants to talk. He got an A on his math test." The voice turned away and yelled, "I do not have a big mouth, she knew it anyway, you always get As in math--no, I want to talk more, I'm not done--"
    "Hi, Mom," Johnny said and my throat knotted up again. I swallowed hard, pressed the tissue to my eyes. "Hey, congratulations. Another A? That's terrific! When did Ms. Anders hand back the test?"
    "Yesterday. I would have called you last night, only Dad said the cell phone wasn't working and he didn't know your hotel. Why didn't you call us?" I wanted to answer honestly, but didn't know how I could. I hated Dennis for making me lie. "It was too late. There's a time difference."
    "What's Santa Fe like?"
    I had never been to Santa Fe in my life--but then, neither had Johnny.
    "Uh, nice," I supposed. "Warm. Dry. Did you finish your book on Paul Revere?"
    "Yeah. There's a field trip to Boston to see the one-if-by-sea church. Someone has to sign my permission slip. I have to bring it back tomorrow."
    "Daddy'll sign it."
    "But I have to bring in six dollars and eighty-five cents for the bus and stuff."
    "Daddy'll give you the money."
    "I need exact change. He never has exact change."
    "Grandma does. She'll give it to you. I'll ask as soon as we get done. Did Grandma cook dinner?"
    "No. We went to Bertucci's. Are you okay? You sound like you have a cold."
    Tears had a way of