Ruth had meant to relax, but by the time the car pulled into the driveway, she had been back at the window for some time. Her first reaction had been to run outside, but she knew instinctively it was the worst thing she could do.

Instead she stared at the gaunt figure of her daughter as she climbed from the interior of the vehicle. Tears already streaming down her face, Ruth watched Lorri pause and look up at the house. Without warning, Lord's gaze swung to the window. Ruth's and Lorri's eyes locked for just a moment, and then both were on the move. They met just inside the front doorway, tears unchecked, arms reaching to grab and hold on for dear life.

"Mother, Mother," Lorri sobbed, not able to get close enough.

Later it would hit Ruth very hard that her daughter was painfully thin, but right now her arms didn't notice. Right now her baby was home. Her baby was alive.

"Here we go." Dean's quiet voice came to Ruth's ears as he gently propelled them out of the doorway and into the small foyer

94.

Vlnloljlll I'll'just outside the living room. Not until Dean did this did Lorri llilllnotice her sister standing to the side, waiting her turn.

ill

!

i"Oh, Max!" Lorri cried, an arm going out to drag her in.

IffTheir small cache of luggage inside, Dean shut the door on IIIthe world and stood back and watched. Tears filled his eyes as he 1stood and waited, dreading the story he would later have to tell 111n'sdaughter-in-law.

Ill"I need to sit down," Lorri said after a time. She'd been feel- liit'ii ing good, strong even, but the last few minutes had taxed her.

Dean stepped forward and helped her into the living room and onto one of the chairs. Max sat at her feet, and Lorri looked down at her.

"Your latest picture didn't do you justice, Max. You've become a beautiful young woman."

"Don't say that, Raine. You'll have me bawling again." Lorri laughed in comfort and delight. She sounded like the [same old irrepressible Max she'd always known. Lorri reached to stroke her dark, thick hair, amazed at how shiny and full it was.

'"Do I smell turkey?" Lorri suddenly noticed.

"Mother has one in the oven."

iLorri looked across to where Ruth sat on the sofa.

"You're baking a turkey?"

"With all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs," Ruth told her with a smile. "Thank you, Mother." Lorri smiled across at her and willed herself not to cry again. She glanced around the room, not wanting to feel like a stranger but not sure she had a choice. It was a very long time to have been away.

"You need to sleep, don't you?" Dean spoke up. Lorri rolled her eyes. "I hate being so transparent."

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"Just stretch out on the sofa, Raine," Max suggested. "I'll talk to you until you drop off."

"That sounds wonderful."

Lorri found three people fussing over her in the next few minutes. A blanket was laid over her and a pillow placed comfortably under her head. Lorri laughed a little at the way they hovered.

"Sleep as long as you like," Ruth said, kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Don't let me miss dinner."

"I won't."

Dean stroked her hair and smiled into her eyes before following Ruth from the room. Max, back on the floor, as close as she could get, looked into her sister's eyes. ' "I missed you,Raine."

"I missed you too, Max." Lorri reached for her hand.

"But you'll be glad to, know," Max launched in immediately, "that I've sworn off boys for good."

Lorri chuckled. Looking into her sister's beautiful face, she knew that resolution would last only a day.

Max told her the reason, explaining that boys her age were just too immature and that she was going to wait for five years at least. Lorri wanted to hear it all. She wanted to take in every word, but Max lost her before she could get to the good part.

^Dean found Ruth in the family room that sat off of the kitchen;at the back of the house. She stood in front of the patio doors,h'her eyes on the cement patio and yard beyond.

"I'm sorry, Ruth" Dean said as he

oined her at the window. Pm sorry I couldn't warn you."

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Lori Wick Hi I.

"Where has she been, Dean? Is she ill? Am I going to lc too?"

"No, she's not sick. She's been on an island without 1 food."

Ruth turned her head, looking nauseous at the That then frightened at the next thought to enter her mind. .Ji "Did Josie starve to death?"

"No, she and the pilot died on impact."

The word "impact" jolted Ruth again. She took Dean'siled him to the sofa.

"Dean, I need you to tell me everything."

i Dean Archer owned a dog he named Buddy. He had1bought as a puppy and adored from the moment the famirfi him. The girls had been asking for a dog, and Dean and ] finally relented. Dean had had only two conditions: The dog 1 be a golden retriever, and it must be a male.

I live with four women. My dog will be a male!

The girls had teased him over this declaration for we What no one had foreseen was the way Buddy would 1 Maxine Archer, 11 years old at the time.

Buddy started each night at Dean's bedside, but before 1 ing he would move to Max's room and be there when she av He waited for the moment she came home from school,; he was in the house, rarely left her side. Any word or gesture! her was life and breath to the beautiful, sweet-tempered dog., And so it wasn't very surprising that when Lorri dropped < to="" sleep="" on="" the="" living="" room="" sofa,="" max="" went="" to="" the="" garage="" door="">

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. She went directly back to the floor by the sofa,i siclose at hand, and stared into her older sister's g^Hnember the face she used to know.

i years younger and certainly more filled out the i_d seen her. This version-older and thinner- lg used to. Max knew it was still her sister inside, > ^nissing the changes. She hoped she hadn't stared Lorri had fallen asleep, "thout warning. Max didn't want to cry anymore. y-~ ached, but there was no help for it. Turning so her sister, she buried her face in Buddy's side

lC3st child.

>:ne. Completely disoriented and fuzzy with sleep, jjnnent to realize where she was. A smile lit her face familiar green drapes and carpet. It was just as it; not a thing had changed. ' Ruth said as she peeked around the corner and

ijxe room.

he asked after she'd bent to kiss her.

jswered as she pushed slowly into a sitting posi- ;.

another pressing matter first." If smiled as she came off the sofa and headed for room under the stairs. Ruth went back to her on in the kitchen, knowing Lorri would join her. ping the potatoes when Lorri came in, her eyes ^detail.

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II98Lori Wick "You got new canisters." Lorri went toward the set of four white IIcontainers covered with every color of flower. She peeked in each Uone and even stuck her finger in the sugar. In the past Ruth would have shooed her away, but not today. Probably not ever again. IITrying not to stare at the changes in her daughter, Ruth began to talk while she worked. Lorri sat on the stool that was tucked under the counter.

"Grandpa Stewart sent me a check for my birthday, and I IIpicked those out at Brennan's Department Store. It was between ill IIthe canisters and a new rug for the hall. The canisters won out."

"They're perfect in here. How is Grandpa Stewart, by the way?" "Doing well. He talked about visiting next summer, but I don't know if his legs are up to it."

Ruth was speaking of her father, who still lived in her home-I f !i Jtown of Coleman, Minnesota. They hadn't seen each other since 11 j]

the war broke out.

I [[[l1."I need to write to him," Lorri mentioned.

"''"He would enjoy that."

"What can I do to help?"

"It's all done. I'm just about to call Max and Dean." "Where are they?"

"Your grandfather had a phone call to make, and Max took Buddy outside."

"I haven't seen Buddy!" Lorri suddenly realized, and was off the stool and headed for the door.

Not caring that she now had three people to bring to the table, Ruth put the meal on and then rang the little dinner bell Josie had given her as a joke one Christmas. Joke or not, it did the trick. The family appeared, the girls crowding into the powder room to wash their hands and Dean taking a seat at the head of the table.

I.

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Ruth had to reposition the table so the four of them could sit around it, pleased that it would stay that way for some time.

It was a surreal moment for all. Months had pa.s.sed and turned into years. Lorri was back, but not Josie. The three sat for a moment waiting for Dean to bow his head, but when he did, he said nothing. Tears clogged the admiral's throat, and he couldn't swallow past them. Time pa.s.sed and people sniffed in an effort to control themselves.

At last Dean managed four words. "Thank you, Father. Amen," he said in a hoa.r.s.e whisper that freed the occupants of the table to look up and find others with swimming eyes.