"Not officially, but our parents don't know that. It was originally a way to give him a place to live and food to eat without anyone getting suspicious, or drawing attention to ourselves. But even before we came home, I loved Howard as though he were my own."

She smiled proudly at Rose, then at Howard who was looking out at the water. "Now he's all grown up and left home, has a job of his own..." there really was no end to how proud Barbara could be of Howard. Even if he did make mistakes every now and again.