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"My husband's name is Austin Clarke...

He continued to stare in disbelief.

"How could you do all that and be..."

"Handicapped, a paraplegic? I lucked out. Roy. The man who fell in love with me and whom I fell in love with was my therapist. There's a lot to tell. C'mon, push me up the ramp and let's go inside and have some lunch."

I turned my chair. but Roy didn't move.

"It's all worked out well for me. Roy. I hope you'll be happy for me. I want to know all about you, your plans, how I can help you."

"Wow," he said. '"I feel like I just got punched in the face." He shook his head and blew through his lips.

"I want you to be close to us. Roy, be part of my family. You're all I have left of those old days," I said. That, at least brought back a small smile.

"Same for me," he said. "But I was hoping for more."

"It just wasn't meant to be that way, Roy. I don't love you any less or need you any less. I inherited a major portion of a big business that's run by a bunch of strangers for me. Maybe you'll help with that," I suggested.

"I don't know."

"I mean. I don't want to interfere with any of your plans. but..."

"Interfere with my plans?" He laughed. "Looks like someone already did that."

He looked like he might cry. Suddenly, Summer ran toward me. laughing.

"Look how well she can walk and run at fourteen months, Roy," I said.

He turned and she stopped to look up at him. "Hi, honey. This is your Uncle Roy."

She moved cautiously toward me.

"She's beautiful,' Roy said.

She smiled at him and he beamed. She clung to my lea. "You want to give him a hug, Summer? Go on," I said.

She looked up at him expectantly and Roy knelt down and opened his arms.

Without any more hesitation, she ran to him. He held her close and kissed her and looked at me.

"She could have been our baby." he said.

"You'll have plenty of your own. Roy, but she'll always be close to you and so will I. Welcome home.," I said. 'Go on. Carry her into the house for me. I'll follow." I said.

Pausing only for a moment, he started up the stairs and I wheeled myself behind him up the ramp. Glenda started back to join us.

In a few hours Austin would be home. We would all be together and somehow, I hoped, we really would become a new family, driven by all our mutual needs for love and hope. I was afraid to look too far into the future. There were still so many unanswered questions.

Would I ever be close to my half sister? Would I continue to develop a new relationship with my real mother and my real father? Could Roy manage to find himself and create a life for himself if he was near me, the woman he had dreamed would be beside him as his wife forever and ever? Would Austin remain as strong and optimistic as he was?

And Summer, what of all this would she inherit? Would the world be a friendlier place for her than it had been for me? She certainly had a more advantageous beginning. I couldn't help but hope that Grandmother Hudson's spirit and Mama's had joined to hover over us and especially over Summer, to whisper good thoughts in her ear and fill my daughter's nights with sweet dreams.

At the doorway I paused and gazed out toward the lake. The wind was holding the dark clouds back, pushing them toward the horizon.

"Keep them away forever," I prayed.

Like a promise, my blackbirds swooned over the water soaring toward the blue skies and the coming of tomorrow.