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"Rich, retiredto do with a ranch? Raise exotic chickens?"

Mel laughed "You ht be in for some surprises She moved into that old Weatherby place on the other side of your pasture You should bake her a cake or so Go say hello I told her you Booths were nice people"

"I’ll put Vanni right on it when she gets back to town," Walt said

Mel perked right up "Vanni’s out of town?"

"Gone to Grants Pass for a few days with Paul," Walt said, hardlya mouthful "They’ll be back by the weekend"

"Well, how about that," Mel said, s that?"

Walt dabbed his lips with his napkin "Girl, the finger’s been on that trigger forit would take Haggerty to pull it"

When Walt got home, the house was dismally quiet He turned on the TV for so to do He wished Tom would shoith Brenda and take over the TV for a , but they probably wouldn’t If they could escape Brenda’s house, they’d be buried in the woods, parking He’d like to hear the baby fuss, or Vanni cooing to hiht about now--he could do that running commentary they had in response to CNN stories

Out of sheer boredom, he went to the cohbor He found several Web sites plus a Wikipedia listing Fifty-six years old, born in Brother Creek, California He looked it up--Trinity County, right near the Humboldt line There was a list of movies--Jesus, almost fifty of them, not to nized her, but only because she’d recently been on Law and Order and CSI He’d never in a h a series of publicity photos--none in the recent past Blond, sleek, large blue eyes Too thin, he decided, although she could certainly hold up a strapless black dress She always appeared to be glancing over her bare shoulder at the ca into it with those sultry movie-star eyes There was even a shot of her in bed, the only visible fabric being a satin sheet And pictures of her taken at Acade jewelry

His wife had neverjewelry

It was all Hollywood stuff, dedicated to the superficial She’d obviously be more at home in awith that old Weatherby ranch house? That wouldn’t last long

"Exotic chickens, my ass," Walt muttered to himself as he shut down the co Vanni felt the bed dip as Paul brought her a freshly diapered and hungry baby, placing hiel," shethe baby’s head He sent up a loud protest at kisses instead of led him close to nurse

Paul stretched out on the bed to watch Vanessa and the baby His hand wandered affectionately from Mattie’s little head to Vanessa’s soft, , whichhiet soht you said the breast only for six months? He’s barely over three"

"I did, but look at him He’s ravenous Maybe he could use a little cereal…"

"He’s aweso damn fat on the breast," Paul said "Vanessa, call Carol and Lance about a visit, find out when they can see you Then I’ll get in touch with et nancy while we’re here"

"I should ht away," she said "Make sure they’re not all as crazy as you are Are you going to tell the for sure But I want to tell theet our plans together Is that all right? Because I can’t look at you without wanting everyone to know"

"Sure I have the same problebeside you in bed…"

"Baby between us…"

She laughed "He has his needs And if you want et used to this"

"This," he said, stroking the baby’s soft head, "is everything I’ve ever wanted"

"So odd that you didn’t find so you have for pregnant women and babies…"

"For a while there it seenant wife but me Between my brothers andbabies…Is there soth of time between the first ‘I love you’ and the vows?" he asked her

She laughed at him "What’s the difference? We’ve known each other for years We’ve been through things together that even some husbands and wives haven’t"

"What would your father think if we got ed "Daddy scares everyone butI want suits him fine"

"The person otten real close He’s like one of my brothers And the way he feels about you--he tries to hide it, but he adht after graduation, but I want him to be there I want him to be my best ?"

He chuckled "Relieved, believe me My mother’s secret fear is that I’ll die a lonely old man"

"Paul, you can’t tell your fa another all in the saet the facts as soon as possible--but, Vanni, the bottom line will be the same, whether it comes in one sentence or one month I’ll take care of the to beabout this…" she said

"There’s soht that disturbs my sleep"

"Funny that you didn’t disturb ive you a break But your break is alh and fell away from the breast, satisfied and asleep Paul leaned over the baby’s head to place a soft kiss on her lips He then kissed the baby’s head and asked, "Would you like to hold hiinning to rise