The grandparents’ house was the usual mixture of noise and laughter. Emma and William’s home was one of four where the families would gather on a regular basis. Sandra and Creighton’s was the second, more because it was the largest out of the properties. Kristin and Derek’s was the next in line because of the close proximity and the yard swing they had purchased last summer, with Nana and Papa’s falling in line behind them. Their growing families kept the community alive and their close properties were always active with noise and excitement.Sandra stood at the counter tearing up the garden lettuce for a salad. This was the kind of life she had always dreamt of having when she was growing up, but every year she got older, the further away that dream seemed to slip through her fingers. Cathy did not want children – despite Andrew’s insistence they were trying to have one – and Sandra never found the right man to settle down with until she won Creighton’s made-up trip to France. The i

“With any luck, things will go back to normal now that Irena’s home,” Derek added.“I’m not sure about that,” Peter’s voice lowered slightly as Andrew stepped out of the house, his little sister in his embrace while Emma held the wheelchair steady at the foot of the front porch. “She wants to stay here, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. She needs to be active and forced to do for herself, but our flat is too small and cramped for a wheelchair. If she stays here, she’ll have the excuse of the stairs to keep her in her room.”Sandra glanced to Creighton and smiled at the quizzical expression on his sweat-moistened face.“Creighton may have a solution for you where that’s concerned,” she told the younger man, watching him raise his eyes toward her. “Cathy and Andrew are moving out of the flat in Chelsea next week, which leaves it vacant. We don’t use it often and there’s an elevator and loads of room for easy maneuvering.”“Are you serious?” Peter asked, his motions of filling his pla

Peter drew a deep breath then wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had spent the better part of two weeks sorting through their stuff before starting the chore of packing. Creighton kept his helicopter on standby for him and he would go to Yorkshire every evening for supper. Irena was finding it frustrating getting any sympathy from her family, though her mother was just as aggravated with the nurse her son had hired.Sister Carmella Catherine was a registered nurse and devote catholic nun. She came with a wealth of knowledge and thirty years’ experience in the field of orthopedics, followed by fifteen years as a physical therapist. As promised, she was gruff, seasoned and a tough-nut, just as Creighton promised. Despite Irena’s constant complaining of pain, the woman turned a deaf ear to her and all but pulled her out of bed. She denied her the use of the wheelchair and forced the walker on her. She refused to allow Irena to eat in her room and made her go downstairs where she would

Sabrina drew a deep breath and reached for the pen in the holder on his desk. She set the papers down and began signing her name on the lines indicated by small yellow arrow shaped sticky notes, then handed them back to him.“What would you have said as my solicitor?” she asked after he took the papers.“The same thing I just told you, but with a few carefully chosen phrases,” he smiled. “Gwyn Marez is guilty of matricide and deserves the death penalty. I’m afraid, since there is no proof, she actually killed her husband or arranged his death through her son, other than what Andre told you, the most she’ll serve is a life sentence.”“What if I testify against her?” Sabrina asked.“It’s hearsay, honey,” Derek said with a deep sigh as he leaned back in his chair. “Her solicitors can claim that it’s defamation of character and it will most likely be dismissed. It’s best to allow the prosecutor to proceed with the testimony from those who dealt with the investigations.”“Now what happens?

“You know, we’re going to have to tell the family our news sooner rather than later,” Creighton told Sandra as she moved through the aisles of the clothing store, her hand held to the stroller as she looked through the many items of baby clothes.They arrived in Northallerton shortly after lunch, deciding to take in a quick stop at the clothing store Sandra liked to visit. So far, they had chosen several dresses for Grace, a few pairs of pants for Brandon, along with a new doll and a set of building blocks. With a new maternity dress and a pair of flat shoes, they decided it was time to find something for their growing family. It had been Creighton’s insistence that their children did not wear hand-me-down clothes, as he and his brothers had to do growing up. He wanted his children to have their own identity and style, which was why they had a cart full of jeans and dresses. Brandon was a tough kid who hated getting dressed for church and Grace would wear dresses when feeding the ho