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Chapter 30 - Family

When I finally came inside the home, I could smell something delectable cooking. An earthy, sweet smell lured me through the well cared for sitting room to the kitchen where Anne, Liam, Daisy and a tiny woman of mature years were laughing together, presenting a true scene of domestic bliss.

I hesitated in the doorway and Anne jumped up from the table to bring me over to the woman with her hair wrapped in a red and gold scarf, stirring a large pot on the range, "Grace, you have to meet Nan, Liam's grandmother. Nan, this is my sister I told you about, Grace Deacon."

The petite lady turned away from her cooking and eyed me carefully over tortoise shell glasses. "You, you carry much sadness, child." She noted in a wispy voice like music. Good lord, had I met another Ella? Or even more worrisome, another Jude?

I gulped, reaching out to shake her hand. "How do you do, Mrs...er.."

"It's just Nan, darlin' to all comers." She gave me a warm smile and touched my face. "Don't be saddened, things will turn out right, you know."

If I wasn't careful, I was going to cry unabashedly on this woman's shoulder. I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"Grace." She mused, returning to her pot, adding a seasoning. "From God."

"Pardon? Oh, erm, yes, that is correct."

"Nan loves name origins," Daisy called to me from the table where she was pouring apple juice into ice filled glasses. "Come sit down, and tell me more about you and Annie and that big ole house you grew up in!"

I slowly walked to a chair in the airy kitchen and gratefully took a glass to drink. "If you'd like to know, it's rather a quick story."

"Quick's better than no story at all." She replied with a grin, as she sat down and reached for a napkin.

"Very true. Well, all right then, I supposed it started with our founder, Quillish Wammy. He was always very bright as a child, he created inventions that came to his mind from seemingly nowhere. Everyone knew he had a tremendous gift. He was sixteen when his father was killed in a locomotive accident, his mother had died years earlier of an untreated fever and resulting from these tragedies he had become an orphan. A kind uncle took him in who encouraged his gifts and after he grew up, he became quite successful with many patents to his name. He wanted to create a home for orphaned children with special abilities and so he started Wammy's House in Winchester. His goal was to encourage the gifts of the children quite like his uncle had him, and the goal has been actualized. It's a lovely place and we've both been very happy there."

"Gracie and I were best friends from the start!" Anne added picking up where I left off. "We were the third and fourth kids brought to live there. The first ones were two boys named L and Winston, both very special in their own way..."

I swore Nan noticed my expression change for the quickest second when Anne mentioned L because she nodded and made a knowing noise in her throat. I dropped my eyes to the checkered tablecloth as Anne went on to describe our childhood, save for the detective work and what not.

I winced as she reached Win's death and how swift it was. "...One day he was fine, and the next...well, he never woke up. He was such a wonderful person, he always knew how to make things right. His death made life pretty terrible for a while."

"A born diplomat." I noted, sipping the juice. "The loveliest boy who ever lived, the loss was indescribable."

A captivated Daisy wasn't blind to see how the loss still hurt us and quickly reached for Anne's left hand in an effort to change the subject. "Well now! Let me see Mum's beautiful ring on you, luvie! And you must tell us how our boy asked you!"