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Muellers’, and I hoped the little ones would drift off to sleep in the short time we had before getting home. Berty and the baby were so quiet that I figured they were probably asleep already, and even Harry had finally leaned his head back against Joe’s chest. The older boys wouldn’t sleep. I knew that. But just to have some of the kids down already would make it easier when we got home. I still didn’t know how many we’d have over with us and how many would be going on home to George. But that really didn’t matter. Once they were all asleep, Samuel and I would be alone in the quiet.
    Lord, here we are at the end of another day. Guide us, provide for us, tomorrow and all the days to come . . .
    I leaned back against the bumpy truck rail until we were on the lane leading up to Emma’s old house. I always thought of Emma when we came home from anywhere. She used to say that just getting home was one of the finest blessings this world had to offer. And she was right. In so many ways, we were blessed.
    I took a deep breath and thanked the Lord for a house to come home to. I was looking forward to a splash of coolwater on my face, a breeze blowing through our window, and Samuel lying beside me.
    Whiskers was barking as we came upon the house, and a car, small and dark, was parked to one side of the driveway, almost surely on Emma’s coneflowers. Somebody was there on our steps, sitting in the moonlight as still as a statue. I could feel myself tense up. Somebody was waiting for us, at so late an hour. Something was wrong.

TWO
    Samuel
    Young Sam parked the truck under the sweet gum tree, just in front of the old Ford someone had driven in. The dog got quiet and came running out to greet us.
    I could see the man, whoever it was, as he stood up tall and lean. And for a moment my heart pounded irrationally. The dream I’d had in the park was floating over me again. It could almost be my father standing there, the build was so much the same.
    I tried to shake the dream away, to meet the present and whoever it was who had come out so late to greet us. But before I could say anything, a booming voice floated across the yard, out of my past, and set my mind spinning again.
    â€œIs that little Sammy there? Huh? Sammy Wortham?”
    He sounded like my father, but I knew it wasn’t. Father was dead. It was Edward. My brother. Never in athousand years would I have expected him to show up at my door.
    â€œDo you know him?” Julia whispered. Dear Juli. She didn’t know Edward, except for the little I’d told her. He’d been in the penitentiary most of our married life. She’d never even heard his voice. And I hadn’t known he was out.
    â€œIt’s my brother,” I said.
    Juli became still as a stone beside me. But Edward was approaching, so I jumped from the truck to face him. “Edward. This is quite a surprise.”
    â€œYeah. I figured it would be.” He laughed. “What are you doing in the back of the truck? You come so far up in the world that you got somebody else driving for you?”
    â€œThe neighbor boy enjoys it once in a while, that’s all.” It had been so long, I didn’t know what else to say to him. And I didn’t know why he was here. Was he just longing to see family again, after all this time?
    â€œNot very talkative, are you, Sammy, old boy?”
    â€œI’m sorry. You caught me by surprise.”
    â€œYou said that already. Aren’t you going to introduce me to anybody? Or ask me in? I’ll tell you, that’s a long drive. I sure could use a drink and a smoke.”
    â€œWe’ll get you some coffee. But I don’t smoke anymore, Edward. Can’t help you there.”
    â€œShould’ve had you figured for that. Too good for it, aren’t you, Samuel? Mother says you’re out here trying to be some kind of saint.”
    This wasn’t starting off very well. Robert got out of