Dream a Little Dream (Chicago Stars, #4)(21)

She thought about the mysterious Kristy Brown. “For a little while. A woman is already living here, and I’m not sure how she’s going to like having the two of us move in with her, so we’ll have to see what happens.”

Edward scowled. “Do you think she’ll be mean like him?”

No need to ask who him was. “Nobody could be mean like him.” She gave his cheek a quick peck. “Let’s go get our things and put them away.” Hand in hand, they crossed the small stretch of grass toward the house.


In addition to the living room and old-fashioned kitchen, the cottage had three bedrooms, one of them a small room that held a narrow iron bed and an old black Singer sewing machine. She put Edward there, despite his protests that he wanted to sleep with her.

Bonner’s comment about turning Edward into a sissy stung. He didn’t understand about Edward’s illness and the effect their chaotic lifestyle was having on her son. Still, she knew Edward was immature for his age, and she hoped having his own room, even if it were only for a few weeks, would give him a little self-confidence.

She chose the other unoccupied bedroom for herself. It was simply furnished with a maple bed, a wedding-ring quilt, an oak chest of drawers with carved wooden drawer pulls, and an oval braided rug fraying a bit on the edges. Edward came in to watch her put her things away.

She had just finished when she heard the front door open. She shut her eyes for a moment to gather her strength, then touched Edward’s arm. “Stay here, sweetheart, until I have a chance to introduce us.”

A small, rather stern-looking woman stood just inside the front door. She appeared to be a few years older than Rachel, maybe in her very early thirties. She was modestly dressed in a tan blouse buttoned to her throat and a straight brown skirt. She wore no makeup, and her dark-brown hair hung straight to just below her jawline.

As Rachel drew nearer, she saw that the woman wasn’t really homely at all, merely a bit drab. She had small, regular features and trim legs, but there was a severity about her that overshadowed those attributes and made her seem older than her smooth complexion indicated.

“Hello,” Rachel said. “You must be Miss Brown.”

“I’m Kristy.” The woman wasn’t unfriendly. Rather, Rachel received the impression of deep reserve.

Rachel realized her palms were sweating. As she tried to surreptitiously wipe them on the legs of her jeans, her index finger caught in one of the tears. She snatched it out before she did any more damage. “I’m really sorry about this. Reverend Bonner kept saying you wouldn’t mind having us stay here, but . . .”

“It’s all right.” As Kristy walked into the living room, she set the paper sack she’d been carrying on the pine-blanket chest, next to the watering can of wildflowers, and placed her rather matronly black purse on one of the brown wicker chairs.

“It’s not all right. I know this is an awful imposition, but I don’t seem to have anywhere else to go at the moment.”

“I understand.”

Rachel regarded her doubtfully. Kristy Brown couldn’t be pleased with the prospect of housing the most hated woman in Salvation, but her expression gave little away. “You know who I am, don’t you?”

“You’re Dwayne Snopes’s widow.” She straightened the quilt that lay over the couch with an efficiency of motion that Rachel guessed was characteristic of everything she did. Rachel noticed that her hands were small and graceful, her neat oval fingernails covered with clear polish.

“Taking me in won’t make you too popular in the community.”

“I try to do what’s right.” Her words were sanctimonious, and she spoke them a bit stiffly. Still, something about her manner made them seem genuine.

“I took the unoccupied bedroom and put my son in the sewing room. I hope that’s all right. We’ll try to stay out of your way as much as possible.”

“That’s not necessary.” She glanced around the room toward the kitchen. “Where’s your little boy?”

She forced herself to turn toward the bedroom. “Edward, would you come out here? He’s a little shy.” She hoped this explanation would keep Kristy from expecting too much from him.

Edward appeared in the doorway. He’d tucked Horse head-first into the waistband of his tan shorts, and he stared at the toes of his sneakers as if he’d done something wrong.

“Kristy, this is my son Edward. Edward, I’d like you to meet Miss Brown.”

“Hi.” He didn’t look up.

To Rachel’s annoyance, Kristy didn’t say anything to ease his shyness but simply stared at him. This was going to be even worse than she’d thought. The last thing Edward needed around him was another hostile adult.

Edward finally lifted his eyes, apparently curious why he hadn’t received a response.

Kristy’s mouth curled into a full-fledged smile. “Hello, Edward. Pastor Ethan said you’d be here. I’m happy to meet you.”

Edward smiled back.

Kristy picked up the sack from the blanket chest and walked over to him. “When I heard you’d be staying here, I brought you something. I hope you like it.” Rachel watched Kristy kneel down until she and Edward were on eye level.


“You brought me a present?” Edward couldn’t have sounded more surprised.