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“Sure I am.”
“You don’t look so good.”
Sheila forced a smile and gave her daughter a playful pat on the shoulders. “Is that any way to talk to your mother?”
They slid into the car simultaneously, and Sheila turned the key to start the engine. Emily looked out the passenger window, but Sheila saw the trace of a tear in the corner of her daughter’s eye. “Emily?” she asked, letting the engine die.
“What?” Emily sniffed.
“What’s wrong?”
Emily turned liquid eyes to her mother and her small face crumpled into a mask of despair. “He’s gone, really gone, isn’t he?”
“Honey . . . what?”
“Noah!” Emily nearly shouted, beginning to lose all control. “I heard that lady at his office. She said he’s gone, and I know that he took Sean, too! He left, Mommy, just like Daddy did. He doesn’t love me either . . .” Her small voice broke, and her shoulders began to heave with her sobs.
Sheila reached out for her child and wrapped comforting arms around the limp form. “Hey, Em, shhh . . . don’t cry.” Her own voice threatened to break. “It’s not like that, you know. Noah loves you very much.”
“No, he doesn’t. He doesn’t call. He doesn’t come see us. Just like Daddy!”
“Honey, no. Noah’s not like Daddy at all.” Sheila kissed her daughter on the forehead and wiped the tears from the round, dark eyes.
“Then why doesn’t he call?”
Sheila closed her eyes and faced the truth, the damning truth. “Because I asked him not to.”
Emily’s body stiffened in Sheila’s arms. “Why, Mommy I thought you liked him.”
“I did . . . I do.”
“Then why?”
“Oh, Em, I wish I knew. . . . We had a fight. A very big fight and . . . I doubt that we’ll ever get it straightened out.”
Sheila attempted to comfort Emily as she guided the car out of the heart of the city. Emily’s accusations reinforced her own fears, and her mind was swimming by the time that she reached the stone pillars flanking the long driveway of the Wilder estate. She drove without hesitation, knowing that she had to speak to Ben. Surely he would know how to get in touch with his son. Her purpose had shifted. Though her checkbook was still in her purse, its significance diminished and the only thoughts in her mind centered on Noah and the cruel insinuations she had cast upon him the last time they were together. No matter what had happened in the past, Sheila was now face-to-face with the fact that she still loved him as desperately as ever. She also realized that her love wasn’t strong enough to bring them together again—nothing was. Too much mistrust held them away from each other. Too much deceit had blackened their lives.
Sheila pulled on the emergency brake, and Emily eyed the massive stone house suspiciously. “Who’s house is that—it’s creepy.” Her voice steady, she was once again composed. Her young eyes traveled up the cornerstones of the house and the brick walk that led to the large double doors.
“It’s not creepy,” Sheila countered, and added, “Ben Wilder lives here.”
“Sean’s grandpa?” Emily asked, not hiding her enthusiasm.
“That’s right.”
“Maybe Sean will be here!” Emily was out of the car in a flash, and Sheila had to hurry to catch up with her.
“I don’t think so, honey,” she said as they both stood on the arched porch. Emily ignored her mother’s doubts and pressed the doorbell, which chimed inside the house. Sheila prepared herself to meet George the butler’s disapproving glare.
Hurried footsteps echoed in the house, and the door was thrust open to expose Sean on the other side. He wore a sneer, but it quickly faded into a brilliant smile of clean, white teeth. He was dressed, as usual, in cutoff jeans and a well-worn football jersey that had once been blue.
“Hi ya, pipsqueak,” he greeted Emily. “How’re ya?” His grin widened as he pretended to punch her in the arm.
“Good . . . real good,” Emily piped back delightedly. An “I told you so” expression covered her face as she turned to look at Sheila. “See, Mom, Seanishere, just like I thought,” she declared with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
Sean’s face sobered slightly as he looked at Sheila. She thought he seemed older-more mature-than he had when they were all living at the winery. She couldn’t help but notice how similarly featured he was to his father. The sadness and maturity that had entered his gaze reminded her of Noah, and her throat became dry. “Hi, Sheila. You lookin’ for Dad?”
Sheila’s heart leapt to her throat. “Is he here?”
