Free Roses in Autumn by Donna Fletcher Crow

least on her part. They’ve been dating ever since, and Glenda’s feelings have been growing all this time.”
    “Blossoming like her roses.”
    Laura bit her lip.
    “OK, sorry. Didn’t mean to scoff.”
    Laura continued, but in a subdued tone. She had to be so careful what she said. And how she said it. “She’s sure Kyle loves her, but she can’t get him to make a commitment. You see, he’s a psychiatrist—specializing in marriage counseling—” She rushed on, not daring to look at Tom, as much as she wanted to know how he would react to that information. “Whenever they talk about their own relationship, he says he sees so many messed-up marriages he’s not going to get married until he can give the relationship all the attention it really needs.”
    “Hmm.”
    “The thing is, his parents died a couple of years ago, and he has the sole responsibility for raising his kid brother—15 years old and terribly mixed up. Glenda says he’s enormously bright—which may be a lot of his problem. He’s bored in school, in with a bad group of friends. Kyle suspects some of them may be into drugs …”
    “Glenda must be in love if she’s willing to take on a mess like that.”
    “Of course she is. That’s one of her main points for wanting to get married now, so she could really help Kyle—share his problems. She wouldn’t try to be a mother to Darren, more of a big sister, but she’s sure she could help. As it is, Darren seems to think she’s interfering when she’s around, since there’s nothing official between her and Kyle.”
    “Sounds like a plot complication made to order.
    What’s Gwendolyn going to do?”
    “Oh, Gwendolyn will probably do something absolutely heroic, like leading the investigation against the drug pushers and rescuing the kid just before he shoots a fatal dose of heroin, whereupon both he and Kevin will swear they can’t live without her another moment. If only things were that simple for Glenda.”
    “It doesn’t sound very simple.”
    “No, waiting for life to straighten itself out and praying for guidance sound much simpler—but they’re probably the hardest things in the world.” Laura moved closer to her husband, admiring, as always, his crisp, clean look, his clear profile.
    And telling you all that was the easy part for me. Now I’ve got to get this around to us. How can I do it without erecting a wall or igniting an explosion? Give me the words—just some way to start.
    “What did you mean when you said the fairy godmother role may be reversed?”
    Laura gasped. Why did answers always seem such a shock? She’d asked, hadn’t she? She took a deep breath. She had her opening; there was no going back now. “Well, I meant Glenda might be able to help me. Tom, I want so desperately to make you happy. And I know I don’t.” Her hand touched his arm. He didn’t shrug it away. “Like I said, Kyle is a marriage counselor. This whole thing could be made in heaven. Literally. You don’t mind if I make an appointment to see him, do you?”
    They were at a stop sign, so Tom could take his eyes from the road and really look at Laura. There was no anger, only confusion. “What are you saying, Laura? You don’t really think you need professional help, do you?”
    “I don’t know anything else to do.” Her voice broke. “I want to make you happy.”
    Laura hummed softly as she brushed her hair. Tonight would be different. Last night had been the dark before the dawning. In the glow of Tom’s new mellowness on the drive back and the confidence of having an appointment with Dr. Kyle Larsen for the next morning, Laura was determined to strew their bed with metaphorical rosebuds, to blossom fullblown under her husband’s caresses …
    Her mind whirled with images from the garden. Tom had been so prickly that morning, but as Glenda pointed out, a cold winter produced thorns. And Tom had held on through seven cold winters. Now some of the expert advice she received on