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Despite what he said she’d done for him, Maryellen kneas Jon’s love that had redee Grace arrived at Cliff’s an hour later than she’d planned She felt exhausted and worried and guilty all at once Maryellen needed her; Cliff wanted to set the date for the wedding and she was scheduled to leave for a library conference first thing MondayWith all these demands, she didn’t feel she was much help to anyone

Cliff walked out to the car tolate, she’d burst into tears

He opened the car door and instantly sensed so "Bad day?"

She nodded as she climbed out "I drove to Maryellen’s to see what I could do for her," she said The house was a disaster, her daughter’s spirits were low, and Jon seemed about to collapse under the burden of his responsibilities He was cooking again, too, whenever The Lighthouse needed hi, Katie had the flu, whichto Maryellen and wouldn’t allow Grace to hold or comfort her "I stayed and did a couple loads of wash, and cleaned up a bit, but Cliff, they’re in bad shape"

"Is there anything I can do?"

He eet to offer "I don’t know Offhand, I can’t think of anything" She shrugged "Perhaps bring theht"

"Consider it done"

Grace was seriously thinking about not going to the conference and spending the tihter, instead She’d hate to cancel; the ht library budget and no one else could take her place on such short notice The thought of wasting the round-trip ticket to San Francisco, plus the conference fee, depressed her

"I don’t knohat to do," Grace said as she slid her arether they walked toward the house

"I don’t suppose noould be a good time to ask you to elope, would it?"

He couldn’t possibly kno teive me" Olivia wouldn’t, either, but she didn’t mention her best friend Of the three, Olivia would be the most syingly "I had no idea it was so difficult to schedule a wedding I hate this waiting I can see us sixaround everyone else’s schedule"

"Maybe we should do it," she said, thinking out loud "Elope, I mean"

Cliff came to an abrupt halt and dropped his ar that, are you?"

Grace supposed she’d estion, but then realized how badly she wanted to end this craziness and--just et the license Mondayout on Monday "Oh, no--I’ve got that conference"

"Where is it again?"

"San Francisco"

Cliff smiled "All the better We’ll be married there"

That sounded perfectly wonderful, if not for one e library conference"

"We’ll go on a real honeymoon later"

"You’re serious?"

"Are you?" He studied her as if he wasn’t sure

"I…I was just thinking I ether Maryellen and Jon needmore"

"Can you cancel out at this late date?"

"Well, yes, although it’s a probleo I have workshops scheduled each day, plus there’s a banquet one night and I’o Why don’t we hire a housecleaning service to help Maryellen out? We’ll arrange it for Monday And we’ll have The Lighthouse send out a few uilty--and you and I will go to San Francisco"

Grace stared at him "You are a miracle worker," she said

"Aw, shucks, hed, he said, "You do have so the conference, don’t you?"

"Some On Wednesday afternoon" She’d hoped to steal away and do a little sightseeing

"Soh We won’t need et out of this?"

"Absolutely not"

"Good, because I’ to hth Don’t you worry about a thing"

They weren’t even inside the house yet, but she threw her ar away to get round and with a shout of jubilation, whirled her around and around

Cal caave the for an explanation

"We’re getting round