Free Project Valentine (A Homespun Romance) by Geeta Kakade

its own way in. Since when had she become an authority on the subject?
    "Have you met anyone like that?" Molly's next question was guileless. But with Karl's niece that only cloaked devious.
    "No, I haven't," she told Molly briskly, hoping her tone carried conviction. "Now, we've got a dog to bathe remember? I don't think this is such a good spot. The patio's small and we might get some water on the white double doors. Let's just go to the back and bathe Arthur by the deck. The shampoo and water won't hurt the grass. I read somewhere that soapy water aerates the soil."
    Keeping busy ought to put ghosts of Maddy Brenton's kisses to rest.
    Molly had bought enough shampoo for a dozen Great Danes. "I wasn't sure which kind to get, so Uncle Karl said to take one of each."
    "He would," thought Jessica grumpily putting Arthur on his leash.
    Money was no big deal after all. Nor were people's feelings. How dare he kiss her just because he'd felt like it? What about Maddy Brenton? It was time someone told him off.
    "Watch the water, Molly." It had been a wise decision to wear her oldest clothes. The hose was being wielded with more enthusiasm than skill. Jessica watched Arthur lick Molly's face and the girl giggle happily. The Great Dane was definitely beginning to respond to Molly's love. Their developing rapport chased some of the chill around Jessica’s heart away.
    "How's your mother doing, Molly?" Cupping her palm, Jessica tilted the bottle and watched the golden liquid slide into her hand. The shampoo smelled good enough to use on her own hair.
    "Better, but she has to stay in bed an awful lot. She had an ultrasound and I saw a picture of the baby. We can't tell if it's a girl or a boy. Mommy and Dad don't want to know anyway, but I hope it's a sister."
    Jessica lathered Arthur's legs while Molly blew bubbles for him. The temperature had already climbed into the late seventies but a light breeze tempered the heat. Two flowering pear trees provided a burst of bridal white on the slope. It was a beautiful day. A day for enjoying life.
    Jessica determined to ignore the emptiness inside that longed for Karl's presence.
    "Jessica, can I ask you something?"
    "Sure." Gently she cleaned Arthur's face with the old washcloth Molly had brought out. With Karl's niece one had to be prepared for a discussion of anything from politics to dog ticks.
    Molly set the hose down and looked straight at her. “Do people die from having babies?"
    The sunshine seemed too bright all of a sudden. There was fear.... and pain in Molly's voice. A heavy burden for an eight year old to carry around.
    "These days," Jessica said gently, sitting down on her heels and taking Molly's hands in hers, soap suds and all, "people seldom die having babies. Doctors are very careful. They have so many new ways of making sure mothers and babies are not in any kind of danger."
    Molly's mouth wobbled, "I don't want anything to happen to my Mommy."
    Jessica wrapped her arms around her and held her close, her own eyes stinging, "Nothing will, honey, nothing will. She just has to stay in bed so she doesn't have the baby too soon, not because she's ill."
    "Will the baby die if it comes too soon?"
    Jessica swallowed. She couldn't make promises she couldn't guarantee. "Do you know when I was born I weighed four pounds? Twenty three years ago, doctors and nurses took such good care of me that I went home after a month. These days they have so many better ways of taking care of little babies, so much better equipment. I read somewhere that a mother had twins that weighed two pounds each and they were both doing fine."
    Some of the worry left Molly's eyes. The rest, Jessica knew, would take time and the birth of the baby to remove.
    Arthur helped restore things to normal by nudging Molly with his nose. They both looked at the patient Great Dane covered in lather and laughed.
    "Let's get back to work, before this stuff sticks to Arthur permanently," Jessica suggested.
    With a giggle