"You think they'd have a problem with Harper or with her being here?"
"I don't know, but I don't want to put them in a situation where we have to find out that they're not happy about it."
"I guess not."
"All we can do is play it by ear."
"Is Harper coming back later?"
"She told me to call her if I need her.And then said she'll check in later anyway."
"Well, I know it's none of my business, but if I were you, I'd roll with it, see how things go.Harper's good people."
"I know that."
They both turned at the sound of movement in the hallway.
"Do you think that's Blane back already?"Trip asked.
"Not yet," said Emmett.He didn't want to tell Trip, but he had a feeling that the sound out there might have been Alana listening in.Blane had taken Tanya on a ride along up to town to get pizza.But Alana had wanted to stick around and only left the room when Trip wanted to examine him.
"Would you do me a favor?Would you give Alana a shout and let her know that it's safe to come back in?"
"Sure."Trip went to open the living room door and Emmett wasn't surprised that before he reached it, Alana called, "Are you nearly done yet?Can I come back down?"
He smiled to himself when Trip opened the door and said, "You must be a mind reader.I was just about to call you."
Alana came back into the living room and sat on the floor beside the couch, looking up at Emmett."So, how are you?What's the verdict?"She glanced over at Trip.
"He's going to be fine," Trip told her."It'll take time.He has a lot of healing to do."
Emmett bit the inside of his cheek when Alana turned her gaze back on him.She looked so much like her mom, it made all the breath catch in his chest.
"If you're going to heal, you need to rest," she told him."Me and Tanya can take care of things around here."
Emmett's eyebrows drew together.If she had been listening to him and Trip talking, was this her way of saying that she didn't want Harper around?He felt like he needed to walk through a minefield, and at the moment he was barely capable of even standing.
Some of the tension left his shoulders when Alana continued."We can't stay home from school though, so you're going to need help during the day."She met his gaze and raised her eyebrows expectantly; another echo of her mom that made him smile.
"I'll be fine," he told her."If I have to stay home, then all I'll be doing is sitting right here, waiting to heal."
"No, you can't stay home alone."Alana glanced at Trip."Isn't that right?He needs someone with him, doesn't he?"
Trip nodded at her, even as he gave Emmett a puzzled smile."I think it'd be better to have someone around, yes."
"Uncle Blane has to work."
Emmett couldn't figure out where she was going with this, so rather than reply, he waited for her to continue.
She gave him a pointed look."Okay, Dad, I'll just come out and say it.I think we should ask Harper to stay."
"To stay?"he asked, more than a little surprised.
"Yeah, why not?We all know her, we all like her.You guys were starting to hang out more anyway.She knows our routines.She's a really good cookâand she always says she enjoys cooking, too.I'm not trying to make it a job for her.She says she enjoys it."
"She does.She made omelets this morning, and they were really good," Emmett said with a smile.
"I wish she hadn't left before we got here.She didn't leave because of us, did she?"
