Free Tessa McDermid - Family Stories by Tessa McDermid

with hers. "My mom's last letter said he wanted me home."
    "Then it should be a happy homecoming."
    He lowered his head and nipped her fingers with his teeth. She giggled and tried to pul out of his grasp but he wouldn't let her. "And when they see my beautiful fiancée, they'll be even happier."
    Her eyes wide, she bent her head, meeting his kiss with one of her own. When he moved away from her a long moment later, she could hardly breathe and settled against his chest .with a shuddering sigh.

    They arrived outside Davenport in the late morning. Frank tossed their bags onto the ground and jumped down first, holding out his arms for her. She laughed and then jumped, her own arms wide. She landed on his chest and they both fel to the ground, rol ing over and over and laughing as the train disappeared around the bend.
    Near a row of white houses, Frank stopped talking. An older woman was sweeping the porch of a neat house halfway down the block. As they came closer, she dropped the broom, grasping her skirts with both hands while she ran toward them.
    Marian held back, watching Frank's reunion with his mother. Tears blurred her vision.
    "Oh, Frank, Frank, my darling boy, you've come home." His mother threw her arms around his neck, pul ing his head down to hers.
    "Ma, you're embarrassing me."
    "After al these years, you can stand a little embarrassment." She kissed him again, then pushed him away, stil clinging to his shoulders. "You're al grown up, Frank. Look at you."
    He grinned. "You didn't think I'd stop growing just because I didn't have your cooking anymore?"
    His mother laughed and moved to link her arm with his, but he reached his hand toward Marian. She skipped forward quickly, setting down her bags. "Mom, this is Marian. She's going to marry me as soon as we can make the arrangements."
    Mrs. Robertson stepped back from Frank, a hand at her throat. "Marry you? But who is she?"
    A tiny shiver went through Marian. His mother's words echoed those of her father.
    Frank wrapped his arm around Marian's shoulders. "She's the woman I love," he said in a firm voice.
    His arm supporting her, Marian extended her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Robertson. Frank has told me a lot about you."
    "It would've been nice to hear about you," Mrs. Robertson muttered but she shook Marian's hand.
    "Frank! Frank! It real y is you." A slender young woman, almost as tal as Frank, hurried down the steps.
    "Clara!" Frank seized his older sister by the waist and spun her around, her skirt flaring.
    A smal er girl clattered down the steps, jerking to a halt in front of the spinning couple. When Clara laughingly pushed out of his arms, Frank smiled at the girl and tweaked one of her pigtails.
    "You're not little Rebecca, are you?" he asked.
    She stretched herself to her ful height. "I'm the tal est girl in my class."
    "I bet you are. And one of the prettiest, too, no doubt."
    She grinned, revealing a gap in her teeth, and then leaped into Frank's embrace. Her resounding smack on his lips earned her a sharp reprimand from her mother. "Rebecca, in the middle of the street!"
    Frank loosened her hold around his neck and set her on the ground. "Now, Mama, they're just happy to see me. You kissed me in the street," he reminded her.

    "Wel , come inside now," she said, a dul red staining her cheeks. She clutched her broom with one hand and decorously held her long skirt with the other, leading the way up the steps.
    Marian fol owed Frank and Rebecca, conscious of Clara beside her. "She sounds meaner than she is," Clara whispered.
    Marian gave Frank's older sister a right little smile. Clara was three years older than Frank, but her comment seemed naive. Mrs. Robertson was not pleased with Frank's announcement about the coming wedding "I'm sure it's just the shock of seeing Frank again after al these years," Marian said careful y.
    "I'm so glad he's home. We've missed him so much."
    Clara held the door open for Marian. Ahead, Rebecca chattered with