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Only it was nized that this went beyond the joy she felt for her sister

This had to do with Chad

Eleven

Thursday evening, feeling depressed, Bruce walked into the house and found Jolene working cheerfully in the kitchen

"I’ tacos for dinner," she announced "They’re your favorite, right?"

He tossed thefor him to comment "Sure," he said without enthusiasm His mind wasn’t on dinner but on what he’d just learned He needed time to absorb this latest news about Rachel before he could deal with his daughter’s chatter Until recently, he’d never noticed how much attention Jolene required

"You’re late," she said as she shredded cheese with unnecessary vigor "I bet you went to the salon to talk to Rachel" She paused and then added, "Again"

He ignored the question in her voice, but that was exactly what he’d done

"So how is Rachel?" Jolene asked

Bruce doubted his daughter cared He shrugged in response Re it in the closet and started down the hall

"Dinner will be ready in ten minutes," Jolene called after him

"Okay"

Bruce washed his hands and by the time he returned to the kitchen, Jolene had set the table and placed the serving dishes in the center

Bruce pulled out a chair and sat down

"Aren’t you going to say anything?" Jolene asked as if his silence had offended her Her voice had a singsong quality that reer

"About what?"

"Dinner! I worked really hard on this and the least you could do is tell ood job"

Bruce looked at the table; it was obvious that she’d put some effort into this meal "It’s very nice, Jolene Thank you"

Apparently pacified, she pulled out her own chair and sat down Reaching for the platter of crisp taco shells, she took one and then passed it to hiood day at school"

He s to a ht That’s okay, isn’t it?"

"Sure"

"Can you pick us up when it’s over?"

He certainly didn’t have any plans for the evening Not without Rachel "Okay"

"Great," she said, all sunny and happy "I’ll let Lindsey know You met her mom, reued "She was at the school picnic last year when--" She paused "Maybe you didn’t," she muttered, and paid an inordinate a

"Rachel went to the school picnic," Bruce told her He recalled how upset his wife had been afterward Rachel hadn’t said much at the time, but Bruce could tell howhter’s behavior, she’d asked not to attend any reed

Every day, it seemed, he was rehter The situation would never have gotten to this point if he’d realized how bad things were for Rachel and had stepped in earlier

Father and daughter ate in silence Bruce h he had no appetite He did h to satisfy his daughter

"Have another, Dad," she insisted, handing him the platter of taco shells

"No, thanks, sweetie," he said, pushing his plate aside The lettuce had fallen out and spilled salsa ran across the white plate

"What’s wrong with you?" Jolene snapped "I made your favorite dinner and I tried to have a conversation with you, but you’re ignoring htly and her lower lip protruded

Bruce rubbed his face with one hand Now he had both Rachel and Jolene upset with hiht anyht…

"I’m sorry, Jolene," he whispered "I’m pretty depressed at the moment I went to see Rachel and--"

Jolene leaped on the news, not allowing hi a witch, isn’t she? I bet she wouldn’t even talk to you"

"No, that’s not--"

"Jane got mad at her the last time you were there, remember?"

What Bruce reht Jane out of the salon to chastise them all Afterward he’d been asked not to return He’d honestly tried to abide by the owner’s wishes, but he needed to talk to Rachel, to see her

"Rachel no longer works at the salon," Bruce said