Page 107 of The Vet's Unconditional Love
Tanya dropped her head."So that's it, then?It's all over?"
"It's not over.It's just taking a different shape.That's all."Harper grabbed a Kleenex herself."But look at us.We don't need to be crying in the kitchen.What do you think?Should we each have a small scoop of ice cream?That's what girlfriends do when they're sharing their troubles, you know."
Alana shot her a small smile."Yeah, let's do that."
Chapter Twenty-Three
"I'll see you tomorrow then, bud," Blane said as he held the truck door open for him.
Emmett gave him a wry smile."You mean you're not coming in with me?"
Blane smirked."I've done what I can.Told you what I think.This next part —" He glanced over at Harper's truck and then up at the house."You're the only one who can figure this out.Do you need a hand up the steps?"
"No, it's the same thing, isn't it?I need to do it for myself."
Blane nodded but he didn't get back into the truck; he stood and watched as Emmett made his way up the steps to the front door.When he opened it, Emmett turned back, and something in his chest loosened a little at the sight of his oldest friend standing there smiling encouragingly.Then he went inside.
He closed the door behind him and leaned back against it for a moment before calling, "Hey, ladies, I'm home."
There was a beat of silence that filled him with a sense of foreboding before anyone answered.
"We're in the kitchen," Alana called.
A moment later, Tanya came hurrying out to greet him, wrapping her arm around his waist."Uncle Blane didn't come with you?"she asked."Do you need to lean on me?"
"I'm good, thanks, Button.I can do it."
When he reached the kitchen, he didn't immediately go to one of the chairs, instead forcing himself to keep his feet as he took in the sight of Harper at the stove and Alana sitting at the table, her eyes red and puffy."What's going on?"he asked."Is everything all right?"
When Harper turned, it looked as though she'd been crying, too."What is it?"he asked."What's wrong?"
Harper shook her head."Nothing to worry about.We've been talking, that's all.I told the girls about me going back to the cottage."
His heart sank.He hadn't known what to expect when he got home, but he hadn't expected to see two pairs of red eyes.He looked down at Tanya.No, make that three.
"I don't want Harper to go," Tanya said in a small voice.
Harper smiled, but she couldn't pull off the bright, convincing kind of smile that used to be able to fool him not so long ago."Dinner's ready.I should get going.It's easy enough to dish up from here."
Emmett opened his mouth, but all the words stuck in his throat.
Alana turned to him as if begging him to say something, but he didn't know what she wanted to hear from him.All he wanted to do was ask Harper to stay, but that was for himself.For Alana's sake, he knew it was probably better for Harper to go.
After a few beats of silence, Alana got to her feet."I'm not going to pretend that I need to do homework or that I want to take a shower.I think it's time we all started to be honest with each other.Come on, Tanya.Let's go upstairs and give Dad and Harper the chance to talk.I think they need to."
Tanya looked from him to Harper and back again."Yeah, you guys should talk.You should figure it out.I think..."
Alana grabbed her sister's hand."Come on, Button.They need to figure out for themselves what they think.We'll be upstairs."
Harper met his gaze and gave him a sad smile."Perhaps your dad and I should go and sit outside so that you girls can eat.I don't want you banished to your rooms because of me."
"It's not because of you.Not in a bad way," said Alana, with a meaningful look at Emmett.
"But yeah, I'm hungry," said Tanya."Will you be all right to sit outside, Dad?Do you want me to bring you the cushions?"
"Yeah, thanks."He gave her a one-armed hug before she scampered off to go and set the cushions out on the deck furniture.
While she was doing that, Alana came to him and leaned into his side.He didn't know what the three of them had talked about, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt his eldest daughter.He curled his arm around her."You okay, Sprout?"
