Free The Secret's in the Sauce by Linda Evans Shepherd

just imagine the laundry. It will take me forever to get the place in shape.”
    “I’m sure things will get back to normal quicker than you think,” I tried to encourage. “I’ll come over and help.”
    As I lowered Mother into her rocker, she winced. “Careful.”
    “Sorry. Is there anything I can bring you?”
    “You already promised me a cup of tea, and don’t forget my lemon wedge this time.”
    I hurried back to the kitchen. “Coming right up,” I called over my shoulder.
    I was glad I hadn’t asked David the identity of his mystery guest, though I could have guessed. But at least this way, I could try to feign ignorance. Don’t fret about it. There’s no need to borrow trouble, I repeated to myself for the umpteenth time that afternoon.
    I was in the kitchen pulling the pie out of the oven when David and his date scampered in from the cold February evening. I could see into the entryway from my vantage point in the kitchen. The couple and their coats were dusted with a few stray snowflakes. David called out, “Smells good, Mom.”
    I set the pie down, speechless.
    David’s eyes twinkled as he helped Velvet out of her coat. “Mom, you’ve met Velvet James?”
    I nodded as I felt the corners of my mouth twitch into a smile that didn’t connect with my heart. I looked into Velvet’s thinly veiled glare and saw Donna’s look-alike sister. An evil twin sort, if you ask me. And the way she was dressed. Let’s just say the poor girl hadn’t been taught a thing about modesty.
    She was wearing skintight black jeans and a shimmering black top that was so low cut it was almost no-cut. She had Donna’s blue eyes and blonde curls, though her hair was longer and pulled up into a high ponytail. Sprigs of ringlets framed her face, making her look even more like Donna, which had me asking, Is this why he’s dating her, because he’s still in love with Donna? I mean, it hadn’t been that long ago that he’d proposed to Donna, though she’d turned him down. It appeared to me David was dating Velvet on the rebound.
    “David, Velvet, welcome,” I managed to stammer as I wiped my hands on the white bib apron I’d tossed over my red sweatshirt and jeans.
    Mother’s bell started to ring, and I turned to David. “Be a dear and help your grandmother to the table.”
    “Sure thing.” He turned with the blonde still attached to his arm. They dropped their coats on the couch and headed for the back.
    I took a deep breath and tried to look calm as I reminded myself, Velvet is only his date, not his fiancée. A relieved smile curled my lips until I thought, At least, not yet.
    I was busy putting a basket of fresh hot rolls on the table when David returned with his grandmother hanging on to his elbow. Velvet sulked behind them.
    I hesitated for a moment, watching Mother with David. Something struck me about the way she looked, a little too frail, a little too pained. Goodness.
    Fred was coming up from the basement, where he’d been tinkering in his workshop, and Dad had just walked through the front door, wearing his fleece-lined denim jacket over his khakis and his black-and-red-plaid flannel shirt. He hung his jacket in the hall closet and shook off the snowflakes that were rapidly melting into his thick gray hair. It’s funny how a home-cooked meal has a way of gathering men.
    “What’s for dinner?” Dad called, rushing in to pull out a chair for his wife.
    “Italian casserole.” I plopped the bubbling dish on the ceramic Raggedy Ann trivet in the middle of the table.
    Dad looked up. “Well, hello, young lady, who might you be?”
    Velvet had reattached herself to David as soon as his elbow was free.
    David grinned. “Hi, Grandpa, this is my date, Velvet James.”
    “Did anyone ever tell you that you look just like Donna Vesey?” Dad asked.
    Velvet shifted her weight and cocked her head in an almost defiant look. “Unfortunately, she’s my sister. My half sister.”
    Dad’s gray eyebrows shot up his