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With Maryellen unable to work and contribute to their finances, their budget was stretched to the breaking point Jon orking as hard as he could to fill orders and h, and sales of nonessential items were notoriously bad at this ti his photographs, he’d been cooking whatever hours Seth Gunderson could give hihthouse Until last weekend, when it burned to the ground in the biggest fire in Cedar Cove’s history Everyone in toas sick about losing The Lighthouse The one now, too They were back to first base financially

As it was, Jon orking constantly to support the fa care of her, Katie and the upkeep on the house Her husband orn out, and Maryellen didn’t knopace The baby, the fire and now this problenant, too, but unfortunately she’d been experiencing terrible bouts ofsickness She spent the first half of every day bent over a toilet Paul had put his foot down; taking care of Katie was simply too much for her, he’d said Maryellen understood Her sister wanted to help and felt dreadful about letting everyone down, but she just couldn’t look after Katie anymore

Now Maryellen had to tell her husband that, in addition to everything else, he’d have to supervise their two-year-old daughter At best, he’d have a ninety-minute reprieve when Katie went down for her nap Most afternoons she only slept an hour

As Jon walked downstairs fro roo

"What is it?"

Maryellen patted the empty space next to her on the bed

"That bad?" he said as though this was a joke

"You’d better sit down," she said, trying to s "That was Kelly on the phone"

"Katie’s all right?"

"Katie’s fine" It was everything else that wasn’t

Jon sank down on the foot of her makeshift bed "The baby?"

Maryellen rested her hand on her sto is any indication, I’d say this baby has y than the two of us combined"

Jon relaxed and reached for her hand She’d seen little of hinant with Katie, and they both wanted hinancy as possible Maryellen wished it could be a s will improve soon," he reassured her

"I know," she whispered, struggling hat she had to tell hiently in his arms "Do I need to remind you how "

Maryellen leaned back and took in a deep breath "Kelly’s pregnant"

"I know," Jon said, his voice puzzled They’d talked about the two cousins being born within a few months of each other Paul and Kelly were ecstatic about this second pregnancy She’d had difficulty getting pregnant the first time and there would be almost six years between the two children

"She’s been suffering froain" Kelly had the sanant with Tyler "So…"

Jon tensed, as if he kneas co "She can’t watch Katie anymore"

Maryellen nodded wearily "She hated to tellafter a two-year-old while she’s feeling so sick--she just can’t do it"

Silently Jon stared into the distance This was one estion In their last letter, his father and stepht up the subject, Jon had rejected the idea in no uncertain ter to think of e can do," she whispered, atte to focus on a solution "I could keep an eye on Katie in the e"

"Katie is walking and exploring and into everything," Jon muttered "There’s no way you can watch her and protect this pregnancy"

"But you--"

"I’ll take her with me I used to do that, remember?"

Maryellen nodded, but they both knew Katie had been an infant in those days He’d had a special backpack to carry their daughter when he went on his photographic excursions, and young as she was, Katie had loved those times with her daddy Maryellen could still picture it

"My mother can help" Even as she spoke, Maryellen knew that wasn’t possible Grace was a neith a de job Her mother already came to the house two or three tih She and Cliff had arranged for a cleaning crew one day the previous rateful But they couldn’t expect that kind of gift again Cliff and especially Grace had done enough for them

"We can’t ask Grace to do any more than she already is" Jon said aloud what Maryellen had been thinking

"I know…" Tears filled her eyes The worry and stress were more than she could handle

"Maryellen…"

She covered her face with both hands and bent her head

"Sweetheart, it’ll be all right"

"No, it won’t"

"I’ll get a e on the land"

"No!" she insisted This land, an inheritance fro to Jon If they lost it, he’d be devastated

Her husband was silent for a long time Finally he stood up and walked away

"Jon?" she said when she saw that he was returning upstairs "Where are you going?"