More of You

Chapter 12

Mindy asked Harper to pick her up for dinner on Sunday night which was being held at Luke's house. She said that she hated to drive that far out on her own, and that the last time she had been to Luke's it had freaked her out to drive by herself in the pitch dark.  Harper was doing her best not to be upset at the fact that her sister had been to Luke's house before she had.

It appeared as if they were the last to arrive as she noticed her father's truck in the drive. There was also a car she didn't recognize and she wondered to whom it could belong.

"Oh look! Callie is here and that means she brought baby Dustin," Mindy squealed as she jumped out of the truck almost before Harper put it in park.

Callie was married to Luke's brother, Mark, and Dustin was their two-year-old son. Mark was in the army and currently stationed overseas, and everyone was worried for his safety an eager for his return.

Harper had always like Callie, she had been in the class between her and Luke in high school, and she and Luke had dated on and off through high school and college, until she fell in love with Mark. Callie was still very much the beauty she had been in high school. She was tall, leggy, and blond, she had been a cheerleader, and no matter how hard one tried to dislike her it just wasn't possible because she was such sweet natured person. That was probably why she was voted Most Popular, Homecoming Queen, and Most Likely to Succeeded.  With Luke as the Star Quarterback for the football team they had been the school's power couple.

When Callie started to date Mark, everyone had worried about how Luke would handle it, but Luke being Luke, took it with a shrug and a grin and said the best man always wins. He had always looked up to his older brother who was four years older than him and he always would.

But deep-down Harper had always wondered if it had hit him harder than everyone had thought, and after witnessing his remarkable ability to hide his true feelings, the same thought crept back to the surface once again.

Harper followed Mindy up the stairs to the open screen door and pushed through the front door without knocking. There was a chorus of voices welcoming them from all different corners of the house. Her mother, Maureen, was with Luke's mother in the kitchen, her father was with Luke's father in the living room watching a basketball game, Callie and Dustin were in the sun room with Emmeline, and Luke was on the floor playing with Dustin. They were pushing cars around a race track made out of books.

Mindy immediately bypassed everyone and headed straight for Dustin, and Luke seeing his chance for freedom, slowly stood and stretched out his back, smiling down at his young nephew.

"Harper," Callie greeted, standing up and giving her a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in over a year."

Harper hugged her back. "Has it been that long?" She looked down at Dustin and admired the way he had grown before leaning down to give Emmeline a kiss on the cheek.

Luke moved into the kitchen to help their mothers with the preparation of dinner while Callie made room for her on the love seat, and Harper joined her getting caught up on all of the news of Mark. He was due home in about six weeks and she couldn't wait. It had been over nine months since she had last seen him because his deployment had been extended by three months.

Harper watched Callie as she talked about her husband and her love for him was evident. It made her even more beautiful if that was possible. She had cut her hair short and it framed her face perfectly. She had a pert little nose and blue eyes that sparkled when she talked about her absent husband.

Dustin wanted to play chase and he stood up on his short chubby legs, racing away from Mindy who let him get a head start. They darted through the kitchen and down the hallway with no one paying them any attention.