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"Thank you for coming," the young woman smiled warmly. "Please, make yourselves at home. Jeff and Maggie are in the living room with Adam and the Westons, and I think Mike and Sandra should be here soon."

Charlie showed her sister-in-law into the living room where Adam, Horace, and Jeff were talking about the local news. Kevin sat nearby, while Chuck blankly stared at a muted television. Chad immediately found an empty seat beside his uncle, and plopped onto the couch.

In masked curiosity, Shirley looked about the living room. The furniture Charlie had chosen, tastefully accentuated the area, and gave it a homey yet formal appeal.

"Would you like to see the rest of the house?" offered Charlie. She showed Shirley the dining room where the table had been set for dinner, and the kitchen where Vera was busily enjoying her state of the art appliances. Shirley politely made some kind remarks, but kept her enthusiasm to a low murmur of approval.

Then Charlie led Shirley into the enclosed inner courtyard at the center of Villa Rosa. Since it was dark outside, Shirley could see a star decked sky through the glass of the large custom-made skylight that sheltered the courtyard from the elements. A shimmer of moving light floated about the area, and Shirley realized that underwater lighting had been installed at the bottom of the fountain. The sound of softly falling water greeted their ears, and completed the peaceful scene.

"I've never seen anything like it," admitted Shirley.

"Would you like to sit for awhile?" offered Charlie, inviting her to an ornately decorated bistro table in the corner of the courtyard.

Shirley accepted the seat, and Charlie sat down from her across the small table. For a while, neither woman said a thing. In the distance, they could hear the men laughing and talking, while Vera continued to make busy sounds in the kitchen.

Feeling a need to break the silence, Charlie spoke up first. "I hope you didn't have any trouble with the road. Adam is planning to have it paved, but I know it's quite muddy right now."

From the serious expression on Shirley's face, Charlie sensed she wasn't thinking about the condition of the road.

"I've always tried to look after my brother," mused Shirley. "He's often too compliant for his own good, and I'm always afraid someone is going to take advantage of his big heart." Shirley looked at her young sister-in-law and sighed heavily. "The urge to defend him doesn't easily go away."

Though it was a loaded statement, Charlie took heart that Shirley was trying. "I do love him," Charlie tried to console her.

"I have no doubt of that," assured the woman. She smiled as a memory resurfaced from her past. "Mom always predicted that when Adam gave his heart to a woman, it wouldn't be halfway."

"I'm grateful your mom was right," smiled Charlie.

"Yes," hesitated Shirley, "but, because his heart too easily gets in the way, I fear Adam won't always act in his own best interest."

Uneasily, Charlie didn't know how to take the remark.

"Short of sin," continued Shirley, "I think there's nothing on earth that he wouldn't do for you."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Only to be careful," she cautioned. "When it comes to you, Adam doesn't always think clearly."

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