Whatever Tomorrow Brings (The Californians 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

another hour and Maureen went off to bed with a heavy heart. Her hopes had been dashed so quickly in the face of Theresa's cough and fevers. For the first time in many years, Maureen Kent was terrified.

    Kaitlin woke up the next morning when Marcail climbed into bed with her.
    "I'm freezing, Katie," the little girl's teeth chattered and Kate pulled her close. They lay in the quiet house and listened to the rain hitting the windowsill.
    The previous afternoon they had come into a cloudy San Francisco and thought it chilly. They realized now that yesterday had been warm compared to this cold-toyour-bones feeling brought on by the rain.
    "Katie?"
    "Hmm?"
    "Do you miss Hawaii?"
    "Not yet, but I'm sure I will."
    "I miss Loni."
    "She probably misses you, too. You can write her, you know."
    They fell silent and dozed off. They woke again when Sean lightly tapped on their door and came in. Seeing that Marcail's bed was vacant, he slid slowly beneath the covers, shivering all the while.
    "It's freezing here," he said in a tired voice. "I thought California was sunny."
    "Not in February," Kaitlin said. "How do you feel?"
    'A little better. I'm weak, but that's probably because I'm starving,"
    "You're always starving." Marcail stated.
    "That's true," Sean answered in his logical way. "This is a big room," he added.
    "What's yours like?" his little sister wanted to know.
    "It's big too, everything is black and gold." Sean looked around the green and white room that belonged to the girls with some envy. His own room was dark and gloomy. The room belonged to his cousin Percy, and he would never have complained. Actually, he was very thankful. The bed was the most comfortable one he'd ever slept in. A small shudder went through him as he remembered the nightmarish days aboard ship in that tiny bunk. The return voyage popped into his head and he stubbornly pushed it away.

    Everyone took things slowly at first and by the third day all were well rested.
    Maureen had come to some decisions on the first night and had already begun to act upon them. She was going to take care of this family. She was going to see Sean on his feet doing things with other boys his age, and she was going to get a playmate for Marcail. Kaitlin, with her looks, well, it would be no trouble finding a few young men to escort her around town. That would give her plenty of time to take care of Theresa.
    Why, her brother and sister-in-law were a team, she couldn't let anything separate them! In fact with no cleaning and cooking to do, Maureen could already see that Theresa was feeling better. Maureen had sent for the doctor and he arrived shortly after breakfast. As she paced in the upstairs hallway outside of her brother's room all these thoughts ran through her mind. Both he and Theresa were in there with the doctor. Maureen wondered how long she would be able to stand the suspense.

    "Did you notice anything, Sean? I mean, did you think mother was sick? I know she's had a cough, but I just thought it was that cold hanging on." Kaitlin looked stricken and Sean felt helpless as he shook his head.
    That morning while Marcail was playing in the kitchen, Patrick and Theresa had sat their oldest children down and told them that a doctor was coming to see Theresa because she hadn't been well.
    Kate and Sean had said little as their father spoke and now questions came to mind almost faster than they could handle. How sick was she? When did it start? Who is this doctor? Is this why we came to California?
    The questions filled their minds again and again, even as they knew they would have to wait for their answers. And as they both tried to pray, Doctor Weston was asking his own set of questions.

    "How old are you, Mrs. Donovan?"
    "Thirty-nine."
    "Have you normally enjoyed good health?"
    Theresa looked up at Patrick who stood by her chair. It wasn't that it was a difficult question to answer, it was just something they'd never thought much about.
    "We're hesitating, Dr. Weston,