Free Family for Keeps & Sadie's Hero by Margaret Daley

like Johnny isn’t alone. How can you make Johnny see that if you don’t believe it?”
    His words struck her with the truth. She didn’t have an answer for him. Most of her life she had depended on people around her to complete who she was, first her parents, who died one after the other, then Kevin, who was murdered. She gave Mac a look that told him to back off. “I depend on no one for my happiness. Johnny will need to learn to depend on himself, too, when the time is right. The time isn’t right for him.”
    Determined not to let her emotions get the best of her, Tess decided the only thing she could do was ignore Mac as much as possible. Behind her she fumbled for the handle and quickly opened the door to slip inside Johnny’s room—she hoped alone. The sound of Mac entering behind her made her stiffen her resolve to put as much distance between them as possible. But then she realized the only comfortable place to sit down was the love seat on which Mac was already seated. Her legs trembled from exhaustion. Reluctantly she eased down next to him after pacing the small room for fifteen minutes.
    In the dim light the hard lines of Mac’s face were softened, and she could see the weariness etched into his features. She fought the urge to brush her fingers over those features as though that action could erase the deep lines of fatigue. Clenching her hands in her lap, she sat up straight, her shoulders thrust back.
    He touched her arm. “If you don’t relax, I’m afraid you’re going to shatter. If you sit back, I promise not to think you’re depending on me.”
    She whipped her head around, meaning to say something scathing, but the words lumped together in her throat. His look melted her resolve, and she realized he was only trying to help her and Johnny.
    He smiled, his eyes sad. “It’s gonna be a long night, Tess.”
    The tender concern in his look moved her more than she cared to acknowledge. It had been a long time since she’d felt such companionship. His offer of friendship was a temptation she found unable to resist. She leaned against the cushion, her body nestled in the crook of his arm. “I’m afraid you’re right.”
    “Then you and I should be as comfortable as possible on this hard, incredibly small couch.”
    She grinned at him. “I think you have a point, but this love seat is much better than that chair over there.”
    Mac inspected the chair with a wooden back and a cushion that had little padding. “True.” His attention returned to Tess. “What would you like to talk about?”
    His whispered question flowed over her in enticing waves, beckoning her to get to know him better. Danger lay in that direction. “The weather? It’s beastly out there for this time of year.”
    “Oh, yes, beastly. But you’re from Maine. You should be used to the cold.”
    “I’m finished with winter and definitely ready for summer.”
    “Well, now that we’ve explored the weather, what else do you think is a safe subject?”
    “Not politics.”
    “Nor religion.”
    Tess started to sit up when Mac’s hand on her shoulder stopped her.
    “I shouldn’t have said that, Tess. But one day I hope you will open up to me and tell me what has put that look of sadness in your eyes. Did I tell you Casey got the job?”
    She latched onto the change in subject matter, easing again into the crook of his arm. “I’m glad she will be joining us. We have a great group of people working on this floor.”
    “She’s excited and relieved. Mom hasn’t let up since the birthday party about her getting a job. She doesn’t believe in idleness.”
    “What’s Casey been doing since high school graduation?”
    “A little bit of everything. She doesn’t know what she wants. Ever since she graduated from high school in December, she has been going from one job to another.”
    “She’s still young. A lot of young people her age don’t know what they want to do.”
    “Were you like that?”
    “No, I always