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Jack shot his youngest daughter a questioning look. Then he looked back at Tess. "What is it?"
Tess was the picture of innocence. "A surprise."
"Really?"
Savannah struggled with a smile of her own. "You'll be real surprised, Daddy."
Jack set down his ax. "All right, then. See you soon."
Tess let her grin loose. "Great. 'Bye."
" 'Bye, Daddy," the girls said together.
Jack frowned at them. " 'Bye." The word came out in a slow, confused drawl, as if he suddenly suspected something very strange was going on.
It is, Jack, Tess thought. Welcome to fatherhood.
"Come on, girls," she said, "let's go." With a quick wave, Tess and the children took off through the hilly pasture at a run.
Jack watched them run through the tall grass and crawl under the fence at the far end of the field. The carefree sound of their giggling peppered the cool spring air.
Curling his thumbs around his fraying red suspenders,
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he strode purposefully to the house. His bootheels drove deeply into the dirt road, crunching over pebbles with each step. He passed the shady oak tree and climbed the porch
steps. He hadn't even opened the back door when he heard
crying.
Jack's step slowed. Dread, as cold as ice water, spilled down his back and made him tremble. No, he thought desperately. She wouldn't have done that to me. She wouldn't
have ...
Cautiously he opened the door. High, bleating screams
echoed through the house.
"Oh, my God." Jack spun around and bounded down the steps, racing down the dirt road. "Lissa!" He screamed her name, but the sound was lost within seconds, vanished in the breeze. There was no answer.
He shot a frightened look back at the house. Even from
here, he could hear the reed-thin echo of Caleb's crying.
Jack's hands curled into shaking fists. Panic rushed
through him and made his breathing speed up. Oh, God,
oh, God, oh, God?
"Stop it," he yelled at himself. Slowly, one breath at a time, he forced himself to calm down. He squeezed his eyes shut. You asked God?and Lissa?for a new start. This is it. Don't be such a goddamn coward.
He lifted his head and looked back at the house. The plaintive echo of Caleb's wail rode the breeze and beckoned Jack. There was no one else to help the baby.
His son.
Swallowing a thick, acrid lump of fear, he forced himself to return to the house. The door creaked open and banged shut behind him. He felt another surge of fear.
