Secrets in the Shadows (Secrets 2)

would rattle off a list of things she would do, from

repainting rooms, to covering bare wood floors, as

well as changing furniture, hanging pictures and

certainly replacing the "old, tired window curtains that

droop over those windows. I'm afraid my daughter

was never much of a homebody," she told me.

"Sometimes, I think she and Tyler could live well in a

tent." My grandfather always laughed about it.

"They're ex-hippies, Elaine."

"Please, spare me."

"That's what makes for horse races," he would

say. "Everyone's different."

My grandmother would just grunt.

She was right about the windows, however. The

curtains--a sheer, faded white material that had long

lost its shape--did seem to droop rather than hang.

Years and years of sunlight had beaten them to

nothing more than yellowing rag material. My

grandmother was sure to be here soon. Why not

impress her by fixing up this room? I thought. And

then I realized what Aunt Zipporah was really after in

asking me to do this. She wanted to be sure I was

committed to living here and I wasn't only playing

with the idea. When my grandmother saw the

changes, she would-be convinced of my intentions as

well.

I started to make a mental list.

Besides the curtains, I thought we should put

down some area rugs. The floor had grayed and aged,

especially in the corners. I didn't feel right asking for