JULY 23, 1861

Jewel was feeling out of place around Starshine Haven, but she wasn't sure what to do. Jacy had told her that she could stay. That in itself had surprised her, but she sort of felt like a third wheel since Cody was here. She also didn't know what Jacy saw in the guy, especially now since he couldn't even move his legs. He was a cripple. Jacy couldn't love a cripple, no way, but she knew how Jacy was. She was kind, considerate and loving. She definitely wouldn't just throw the fellow out. So maybe her sister could use her help. Now if she could only think of a good plan to help her sister out of this awkward situation.

Cody had been moved to the study with a bed put in there, since it was easier for him to maneuver his wheelchair around downstairs, and he couldn't always count on someone being there strong enough to transport him downstairs, especially now since Jedidiah had left town.

Cody had been having a nap, but he awoke and he was eager for some food, so he decided to make his way to the kitchen. He had a bell beside his bed that he could ring if he needed anything, but he was feeling like he needed to be more independent and besides he was tired of lying in bed for so long. As he made his way down the hall in his wheelchair to the kitchen, he heard Jewel and Jacy talking. He stopped and listened.

"Jacy, you can't love him. He's a cripple. He'll never be able to provide a decent life for you. You're young, you need someone young and vigor, too."

Jacy was too stunned to say anything immediately, but inside her temperature was rising. How dare her sister tell her what she needed and what she didn’t need! She knew what she needed and that was Cody.

Taking her silence as though Jacy agreed with her, Jewel continued, “I’ll help you find a way out of this. I know how kind you are, but we’ll find a way to let Cody down easy.”

Meanwhile Melissa was getting hungry for lunch. She had been up in her room trying to get her schoolwork done, because she wanted to get it done as soon as possible, so that she could enjoy some of the summer, and also to help more with the newspaper. Jacy had forbidden her to help out at the newspaper until she got all her schoolwork caught up. Melissa understood that Jacy was just doing it for her own good, but still she was eager to get done and back to work helping Jacy. Until then Jewel was helping Jacy run the newspaper, but Melissa figured it was only because she needed some money.

When Jacy had found out that Jewel had spent some of Grandpa Hagan’s money, she had been furious, and she was determined that they would pay back every cent of it. Jewel didn’t like the idea, but she wasn’t going to protest too loudly, because she really had no money and nowhere to go. Of course she could wire her adopted parents for some money, but then they would probably come to Dreamville to get her, and she didn’t want to go back East, at least not yet. She still thought that there might be a chance for her and Jimmy if Lee was just out of the picture.

Jacy was taking some of Jewel’s earnings and putting it back into Grandpa Hagan’s account, and she was even taking some of her own earnings and placing it in their grandpa’s account, too. Melissa wasn’t sure that their grandpa would ever come home, but Jacy believed that one day he would.

With her tummy grumbling, Melissa made her way down the back stairs to the kitchen. She heard Jewel saying something about Cody, but she wasn’t sure what was said. Jewel heard Melissa coming down the stairs and turned so that she could see her when she arrived.

“Jewel, you have—,” Jacy stopped abruptly and swung her self around to have her back facing both of her sisters because Melissa had just entered the kitchen. She calmed down. She hoped that Melissa hadn’t seen the anger on her face. She was pretty sure she hadn’t since she had turned around rather quickly, so quickly that she had almost lost her balanced.

“I’m hungry. Jacy what’s for lunch?” Melissa said as she entered. There was silence for at least a minute. Melissa wondered if she had stumbled into the middle of something, but immediately dismissed the idea when Jacy turned around with a smile on her face. “It’s almost ready, sit down and I’ll give you so soup. Then I’ll take some to Cody if he’s awake. Jewel do you want some?”

Cody decided he better get back to bed. He didn’t want Jacy or Jewel to know that he had heard them talking. He quietly wheeled himself back to his room. He lied down and thought about Jacy. Maybe Jewel was right. If he could never walk again, what kind of future could he provide for Jacy? He didn’t feel hungry any more. He felt sorry. Sorry that he couldn’t walk and be the man Jacy should have.

“No, I had a sandwich. I’m going to head to town and work on the newspaper.” She wasn’t sure what Jacy had been going to say, but she was sure that it was something like that would be great if you would help me get rid of Cody. They would talk about it later. She smiled at Melissa and Jacy, and then she left.