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His drink arrived and Rick raised the ice-filled tulasses in response but didn’t echo his words

"Actually, you and Lisa have a great deal to do with the i cast her a warning glance She kneas right This wasn’t the ti up the reason for their dinner invitation

"Me?" Her brother looked surprised

Thankfully their server arrived with the first course of theirThe waitress lit the fondue burner and set a bowl filled with a hot cheesebread, sliced vegetables and fresh apples and pears

Carol’s appetite had increased over the last week, but since the ht thatout, she’d been forced to change her outfit three ti on her like a tent

"We’re thinking of adoption," Carol announced She si’s caution

Rick nodded as if he approved "Good idea"

"We thought so," Carol ’s Rick was so dense he hadn’t picked up on what should’ve been obvious

"I talked to Ellie last week," her brother said

"How did it go?"

"She was cordial but I could tell that beneath all the politeness, she was pleased to hear fro?"

Rick shook his head "I should’ve waited until I was back in Juneau It’swith Lisa?" Carol asked, hoping for inforo our separate ways We were never much of an ite her, don’t you?"

Her brother looked up, holding a piece of bread dripping with cheese over the fondue pot "Oh, sure, that’s unavoidable with the two of us working the sahts She’s a sweetheart and what happened is unfortunate I have to say she’s handled it well"

Carol sighed with relief "You know, souess" Rick reached for another piece of bread "Daood Did either of you notice what kind of cheese this is?"

"Can’t say that I did," Doug said

Carol noticed a sharpness in her husband’s voice and glanced over to find hi, but couldn’t Now that the subject of Lisa had been introduced, Carol couldn’t bear to wait another moment

"I’m sure you kno dreadful it hen Iher brother intently

Rick sipped his drink, and then speared a slice of pear "That was really buht last week, just before dawn, I was sitting in the dark thinking about all of this I felt like a complete failure"

"How so?"

"I’d failedYou and I both knohat a wonderful father he’d be And I kne disappointed Mo grandparents I felt as if lanced at her "Why would you feel like that?"

It would take too long to explain "A wonancy to ter and he winked "Women Can’t live with ’em, can’t understand ‘e, don’t they?"

Doug didn’t bother to respond

"The reason I bring this up now--"

"Carol" Doug placed his hand over hers "Let’s enjoy our dinner"

She nodded, but nearly had to bite her tongue to keep fro her brother with more questions about Lisa Without the double whiskey--in fact, Rick was now on his second--heto say

The ht, Carol would have savored this ti the appetizer of cheese was thewhite wine sauce When dessert finally arrived, strawberries and pound cake dipped in rich chocolate, Carol was so tense she couldn’t wait another htcap?" Doug asked

Rick glanced at his watch "I’d better not"

"But it’s i and I need to talk to you"

Rick gave her a surprised look "About what?"

Carol refused to let the evening end without broaching the subject of the adoption "Doug and I want to ask about you and Lisa"

Rick’s forehead creased in a frown "I thought I told you we split up"

"Yes, I know, but this doesn’t have anything to do with you as a couple Doug and I--" she paused and looked at her husband briefly before returning her gaze to Rick "--ant to ask about the baby"

"What baby?" Her brother seeenuinely puzzled

Carol leaned closer to hinant, you mean"