A Place Called Home Read Online Free PDF

sixties.”
    “He’s sixty-one. About the same age as your parents and if you recall, I just finished characterizing them as young.”
    “Sixty-one.” He whistled softly. “Hell, he probably remembers where he was the day the music died.”
    “What are you talking about? What does Buddy Holly have to do with anything?”
    Mitch realized he had spoken his wayward thought aloud. “Nothing. It’s not important. Just something I’ve been thinking about.” He did some quick calculations. He and Thea were only a few months apart in age. “So Strahern’s what, almost thirty years older than you?”
    “Yes.”
    “More than a quarter of a century.”
    “You know, I might have fried a few synaptic pathways trying to come up with that. Thank you for saving my gray matter for really important stuff.”
    “No problem.” Thea Wyndham was marrying Strahern senior? He still couldn’t quite believe it was true. “So when’s the wedding?” Please don’t say June. He didn’t think he could keep from laughing if she said June.
    “None of your business. Our engagement hasn’t been formally announced.”
    “I see.” It was still a struggle to keep a straight face, though amusement wasn’t precisely what he was feeling. “Waiting to get it in Town & Country, are we?” He held up both hands, palms out, surrendering before she could attack. “All right. I’m sorry. I take that back. I wish you well.”
    Thea’s eyes narrowed, gauging his sincerity. His expression was implacable. She chose to believe he meant what he said. “Thank you.”
    “I guess it makes it easier to understand why he doesn’t want Emilie, Case, and Grant underfoot twenty-four/seven. Em’s pretty quiet, but the boys ... well, they’re boys. Snips and snails and puppy dog tails packaged as testosterone time bombs.”
    The corners of Thea’s mouth lifted in a faint smile. It hovered for a moment, then disappeared. “They’re doing all right, though?”
    He almost asked, What do you care? then thought better of it. Maybe she really was doing the best she could. In that case, he should just feel sorry for her and be relieved she wasn’t taking Kathy and Gabe’s kids out of some twisted sense of duty. “All right? I don’t know how to answer that. They’re grieving in their own way. Emilie cries when she thinks no one can hear her. I’m not sure the boys entirely understand that Gabe and Kathy aren’t coming back. They talk about them as if they’re still around, just away. It’s still so fresh. I’m playing it by ear, waiting to see what happens. Maybe we’ll all do some counseling.”
    Thea nodded. She pressed her lips together. Her chin wobbled anyway. After a moment she said, “I know someone, if you’re interested.”
    “I’ll call you if it comes to that. I’m talking to their teachers, keeping an eye on how they’re sleeping and eating, things like that. We’ll see how it goes.”
    “You’re doing a good job.”
    “I’m just doing it, Thea. One of us has to.” He almost wished he hadn’t said the last. The hurt in her eyes was palpable and somehow he ended up feeling worse for it. “I’ll be able to reach you?”
    “Yes. I won’t be going anywhere without letting you know.”
    He took a breath and let it out slowly. “When can I tell the kids you’ll visit them?”
    “I don’t know. I have to check m—”
    He had suspected it was going to happen; he just hadn’t known what would set him off. “Jesus H. Christ! Tell me you weren’t going to say you have to check your calendar!” He saw the truth clearly on her face. Mitch leaned forward at the waist, but he kept his hands white-knuckled on the edge of the credenza, only just holding himself back. “Listen, you enter them in when you get a couple or three minutes. Maybe you can call or send an e-card.” He saw her flinch and knew she correctly interpreted the homicidal bent of his mind. “You’re a hell of a piece of work, Thea Wyndham. You know those