Page 12 (2/2)

Usually when her brother stopped by they went out to eat This evening, Carol was cooking their meal Rick had sounded troubled when he’d phoned and she wanted to create a comfortable, inti and flower-arranging had taken up most of the afternoon, but she’d loved every o she would’ve scoffed at the idea of arranging flowers or spending athe aisles at a local farmer’s market Now those small domestic activities were a source of pleasure and satisfaction Because she was doing them for her family

Rick called fro her brother hard as soon as he stepped inside

"Well, well," Rick said, leaning back, apparently surprised by the war "I didn’t expect to be knocked off ood to see you"

Rick laughed and looked around the condo "Where’s Doug?"

"He phoned--he’s running late I’lanced at her watch as she led Rick into the living roo hadn’t shown nearly as much enthusiasm about this dinner with Rick as she had "Would you like a beer?" Her brother preferred ale to hard liquor He only drank when he enty-four hours fro

"I’d love one" He sat dohere he had an unobstructed view of the waterfront and was quiet for a long azed out theHe accepted the beer and s to help with dinner?"

"Not a thing Everything’s alht for yourself, little sister," he said, sounding almost sad He tipped back the beer bottle and took a drink

"So have you," she told hioodness, Rick," she said, trying to lighten his somber mood "You’re a pilot for a major airline It’s your dreah the ranks For as long as Carol could re a pilot Fro around airports, talking to the pilots, learning what he could

He sht?"

"You aren’t?" She went into the living roo the salad she’d set on the counter The finishing touches could wait Sitting across fro?"

"Sorry, sorry" He laughed off the question "I don’t knohat caoing to forget it Now, tell me what’s on your mind You didn’t come all this way to check outher question "Actually, I was in a great mood until I sahat you’ve done with the place"

"Exactly what have I done?" Carol asked with a smile "And ould that ruin your mood?"

Her brother looked around, and, after a few minutes, frowned "I don’t know exactly, but there’s a difference"

He’d noticed Actually, everything was in the sa his last visit The furniture was all the saed Yet the condo felt transforlass were ss, but they expressed her new attitude toward home and what itto welcome a child

"There is a difference," Carol confirenuinely happy"

The forlorn expression on her brother’s face was enough to bring tears to her eyes "And you’re not," she said softly

"No," he breathed He leaned forward and braced his arle between his parted knees "Nothing seeht without Ellie"

Her brother and Ellie had divorced a year ago He’d never spoken of the breakup before, and his willingness to introduce the subject noas an indication of how miserable he was

"I’m still in love with her," he confessed, "but I screwed up"

Carol held her breath Because she loved and respected both her brother and his wife, she’d done her best to stay out of it The one conversation she’d had with Ellie since the divorce had been aard and unsettling, and Carol hadn’t phoned her since

Carol wasn’t the only one in the dark, either Even her parents didn’t knohat had caused the dissolution of Rick’s ret his divorce and want his ex-wife back "Have you been in touch with Ellie?" she asked

Rick nodded "She said it’d be better if ent our separate ways I tried, Carol, I gave it a real effort, but ood without her I had no idea it would be like this" He briefly tilted his head toward the ceiling and forcefully expelled his breath "I hear she’s dating again"

"That e sweethearts Carol re blonde She’d instantly liked Rick’s girlfriend and had hoped to have her as a sister one day

"The thought of Ellie with so me insane All I can think about is how stupid I’ve been I’d give anything to work this out with her If itmy job, I’d do it in a heartbeat"

"I’m so sorry" Carol felt at a loss to help hi

"Yeah, I am, too"