A Family To Cherish by Carole Gift Page

of paperwork, as I expected. Everybody wanting something. Wanting it yesterday. But what can I expect? I was gone for a week. The rest of the world doesn’t grind to a halt just because our lives were put on hold.”
    Barbara carried the meat loaf over to the table. “Maybe you can relax a little tonight.” She poured two glasses of iced tea and one small plastic glass of orange juice. “One of our favorite films is on TV—that romantic picture we saw three times when we were dating. You always said I looked like the girl….”
    He chuckled. “And you said I was a dead ringer for the guy. Yeah, I remember. But I can’t tonight. I brought home reams of paperwork.”
    Barbara looked at him, exasperated. “When will it ever end, Doug? When will we ever have our lives back?”
    â€œI don’t know, Barb. I honestly don’t know.”
    â€œThe way things are going, everything just gets more complicated. We’re on a treadmill and we’ll never get off. We don’t even have time to have an honest-to-goodness fight.”
    He managed a wry smile. “Is that what you want, Barbie? A fight? Put up your dukes. I’ll take you on.” He assumed a fighter’s stance and did a little shadow-boxing number with his feet. “Is this what you want—a few rounds in the ring?”
    Barbara laughed in spite of herself. “Oh, Doug, I wish it were that simple.”
    â€œWhy can’t it be, Barb? Simple, I mean. Why do we always have to overanalyze?” He reached for her, pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her hair with his chin. “The truth is, I don’t know how to change things, Barb. How do we make things good between us again? I don’t have the answers. And, God help me, I don’t have the time or energy to find the answers. Do you?”
    â€œI wouldn’t know where to begin. Especially now, with Janee here.”
    Doug held her at arm’s length. “What about Janee? How’d she do today?”
    â€œIt was touch and go,” Barbara conceded. “I got upset with her.”
    â€œWhat’d she do?”
    â€œI found her in…Caitlin’s room. Sleeping in Caitlin’s bed. Wearing Caitlin’s nightgown.”
    Doug heaved a sigh. “Does it really matter, Barb? After all this time?”
    Tears stung her eyes. “It matters to me. It always will. I can’t help it, Doug. I can’t change how I feel.”
    â€œSo is it going to work out? With Janee, I mean.”
    Barbara blinked rapidly and looked away. “I don’t know. It’ll take a period of adjustment. For both of us.”
    â€œFor all of us,” he agreed. “But we’ll manage somehow. I’ve got to believe that, Barb. Maybe we can do something with Janee this coming weekend. Take her to the zoo or the park or something.”
    â€œAnd what about church?” asked Barbara. “Are we taking her to church?”
    â€œWe promised Nancy.”
    â€œAre you up to facing Reverend Schulman? It’s been nearly four years.”
    â€œMaybe he never noticed we were gone.”
    â€œAre you kidding, Doug? After all the cards and notes he sent us, and the phone calls every few months? He’ll probably string a banner across the narthex and announce our return from the pulpit.”
    â€œHe wouldn’t.”
    â€œWouldn’t he?”
    â€œI guess we’ll find out—this Sunday.”
    While Reverend Schulman didn’t announce their return from the pulpit, he did shake their hands heartily before the service and tell them how happy he was to have them back. He expressed his condolences over the deaths of Doug’s sister and her husband, and wished Doug and Barbara great success in raising Paul and Nancy’s daughter. “If any couple knows how to bestow love on a child, it’s you two,” he assured them. “And now God’s given you another