22. Dulcie
DULCIE
D ulcie paced the sidewalk beside the lake again four days later, wondering how so much could have changed since the last time she had walked along this frozen vista.
For his part, West had proven that he was as good as his word. The morning after their talk, they had met with a family attorney and begun trying to negotiate with Dulcie’s dad for custody.
It turned out that there were elements of the situation Dulcie hadn’t even been aware of—like the fact that her dad received a death benefit from Mom on Delphine’s behalf each month.
And that the landlord looked the other way when the rent was late or not quite paid in full because he’d felt bad for the poor widower’s daughters.
“Herbert Bloom has every reason to fight a custody battle,” the attorney had said during their talk yesterday morning. “Delphine isn’t just his daughter, she’s basically a paycheck for him. You should expect that this could take time, and there are no guarantees. ”
Dulcie’s heart sank.
“So, it’s about money?” West asked, sounding relieved. “Not that he thinks Delphine is actually better off with him?”
“I hate to assume,” the attorney said, stealing a glance at Dulcie, as if it might wound her to hear what she already knew about her father.
“He’s never really been interested in us,” Dulcie confirmed. “When he made me bring her back, I know he was angling for me to move back in so he could make me give him my pay.”
The memory still made her sad, but less so than before. Maybe because now it felt like there were people who cared about her, and Delphine too, even though they’d never met her.
“I’m sorry, Dulcie,” the attorney said with real sympathy. “And yes, I think you’re right. It’s about the money. He didn’t say a single thing about not wanting to lose his daughter.”
West nodded thoughtfully.
“I do think she’ll be demonstrably better off with you,” the attorney went on. “And she’s thirteen now, so her own choice will be taken into consideration. But I want to warn you that this could be drawn out.”
Drawn out probably meant expensive. Dulcie wasn’t so naive that she imagined that West’s friendship with the attorney would cover his services for a lengthy legal battle.
“No,” West said suddenly. “It’s almost Christmas. I won’t have that little girl missing out on the holidays with her big sister. I’d like to talk with this guy myself. ”
“I can’t recommend that,” the attorney said. “You could unintentionally give him leverage.”
“Would you be comfortable if I tried anyway, Dulcie?” West asked, turning to her with that flash in his dark eyes that told her the gentle man she loved meant business.
“I trust you,” she said, happily surprised to realize that it was true. She trusted him, even with this, the most important thing in her life.
That evening, he’d stayed in town after closing up the office, and made a private call to her father.
He came home that night with a triumphant smile and told Dulcie they might have good news in the morning. And sure enough, paperwork had arrived the next day, granting Dulcie temporary custody of her sister.
“We’re working on a permanent arrangement,” West told her. “But she’ll be with us, where she belongs, while we hammer it out.”
He refused to tell her what had transpired in that conversation. She would never know if he had somehow gotten through to her dad, maybe threatened him, or even offered him money.
But she didn’t need to know how he’d done it to know that she would be grateful to West for the rest of their lives.
“You helped my daughter let her hair down,” he told her gruffly when she wept with relief in his arms that morning. “You made our house feel like a home. Now it’s my turn to help out.”
Dulcie could hardly believe it then.
But here they were, at the bus stop on the edge of Little Bear Lake again—not waiting for Dulcie to leave, but for Delphine to arrive.
Elizabeth had stayed home with her grandparents to make lunch, so Dulcie and West were alone with the gorgeous panorama of the snowy woods and frozen lake in front of them.
But neither of them could seem to relax and enjoy the view. Dulcie was just too excited. And West’s protective instincts were riled up all over again.
“I can’t believe I let your little sister get on that bus,” West muttered as he paced by her side. “I should have gone down there myself to pick her up.”
“She’s fine,” Dulcie said, laughing. “We’re city kids, and I spoke with the driver, remember? She’s keeping an eye on her.”
There had been a million reasons for Delphine to hop on a bus the moment the papers came through. After all, she missed her big sister and she couldn’t wait to start her new life.
But the main reason was left unspoken. Neither she nor Dulcie could help worrying that whatever impact West had on their dad would fade, and he would try to change his mind.
In the distance, a rectangular form began to take shape, getting slightly larger as it approached.
“The bus,” Dulcie gasped, her heart pounding like she was jumping up and down and standing perfectly still at the same time.
West took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
At last, the big vehicle rumbled up and stopped with a squeal in front of them. The doors folded open and there stood a small, blonde, and oh-so-familiar figure with a big smile on her face.
“ Delphine ,” Dulcie cried.
Her sister ran to her, and they embraced. The moment Delphine was in her arms, Dulcie felt like her heart was finally back in one piece again.
“Hi,” Delphine breathed, pulling back a little to meet her eyes.
Dulcie was crying again. She tried to swipe the tears from her cheeks, but then she saw her sister was crying a little too.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she told Delphine. “Hey, this is West.”
“You mean Superman,” Delphine said, grinning at him.
That earned her a surprised, deep laugh from West, and Dulcie knew their friendship was sealed.
“Welcome home,” West told Delphine. “I hope you’re hungry. My daughter is making lunch for us with her grandmother, and I have to warn you that you’ll hurt her feelings if you don’t go back for seconds.”
Dulcie’s heart ached with gratitude. The man clearly remembered how she had felt when she first arrived—anxious and ravenous. What he was actually telling her sister was that there were plenty of women on the farm, and as much food as she could eat.
Looking at Delphine’s slender form, she got the same hollow feeling in her chest she always had when she worried about her sister.
But it’s going to be okay now, she reminded herself. We’re all going to be okay.
“Lead the way,” Delphine laughed happily.
She chattered all the way home about the bus ride, how the driver had shared her breakfast, and all the things she had seen out the window.
“And there are just so many trees everywhere,” Delphine said at last, sighing in happiness. “It’s like a movie.”
“Wait until you see the farm,” Dulcie told her.
When West stopped the truck and honked the horn before crossing the covered bridge Delphine was amazed.
“I didn’t know these things were real,” she whispered to Dulcie as they bumped through the darkness. “I thought they were just in the movies.”
A moment later, they were back out in the sunshine, and Delphine’s delighted giggle was like a rainbow in Dulcie’s ears.
“ Cows,” Delphine yelled as soon as they pulled up the drive onto the farm. “Oh, wow, more cows.”
West chuckled and pulled up by his parents’ house.
“It’s like a fairytale house,” Delphine said as they climbed the steps.
West opened the door and Dulcie waited for everyone to yell shoes.
But although the air wafting out of the house smelled delicious, no one made a sound.
“Where is everyone?” Dulcie asked.
“We’d better check the kitchen,” West told her, kicking off his boots. “Let me just run and see.”
Dulcie and Delphine carefully removed their shoes and placed them on the mat by the door, next to what seemed like an awful lot of shoes for no one to be home .
When she straightened again, Dulcie realized West hadn’t come back or said anything.
“Come on,” she told her sister, wondering if he’d slipped out to the back porch or something.
They headed down the hallway, past the front parlor.
“ Surprise ,” a little voice yelled out.
“ Not yet, ” another child whispered loudly.
Delphine’s eyes flashed to Dulcie’s.
Please don’t let this frighten her, Dulcie prayed. She knew now why West had gone on ahead. But he didn’t know that neither she nor Delphine had ever had a party in their honor before, let alone a surprise party.
A huge smile spread across Delphine’s sweet face and Dulcie almost fainted with relief.
She’s excited. She’s happy…
Delphine took the last few steps a little faster, as if she couldn’t wait to meet the people who were going to be like family to her.
“Surprise,” more than a dozen voices called out.
Delphine’s eyes danced with delight as she took in all the happy faces in the crowded kitchen.
“Those two are West’s parents, Maggie and Daniel,” she told her softly, looking to the oldest Lawrence couple. “I’ll introduce everyone else slowly, okay?”
“Welcome home,” Maggie said, hurrying up to embrace Delphine. “I hope you’re hungry, sweetheart. We’ve been cooking up a storm here.”
“Yes,” Delphine said. “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Lawrence.”
“It’s just Maggie,” she said with a smile.
“Are those really your cows out there?” Delphine asked.
“Oh, yes,” Maggie said. “They’re all ours.”
“Wow,” Delphine said, looking like she wanted to make conversation about them, but coming up short. Dulcie would have felt the same. They honestly didn’t know much about the big animals.
“If you want, you can help me with them tomorrow,” Maggie offered. “I’ll give you a tour of the whole farm and the creamery, and we can sample the ice cream.”
“Yes, please,” Delphine said, looking like she might actually start jumping up and down.