Dean Hughes - Promises to Keep: Dianes Story

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hughes, Dean.

Promises to keep : Diane's story / DeanHughes.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-59038-987-4 (paperbound)

1. SinglemothersFiction. 2. ProblemchildrenFiction. 3. Ogden

(Utah)Fiction. 4. MormonsFiction. 5. Religiousfiction.
6. Domestic fiction. I. Title.

PS3558.U36P76 2008

813'.54dc22 2008024938

Printed in the United States of America

Sheridan Books, Chelsea, MI

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Read more about the Thomasfamily in these novels by Dean Hughes:

Children of the Promise

Vol. 1: Rumors of War

Vol. 2: Since You Went Away

Vol. 3: Far from Home

Vol. 4: When We Meet Again

Vol. 5: As Long As I Have You

Hearts of the Children

Vol. 1: The Writing on the Wall

Vol. 2: Troubled Waters

Vol. 3: How Many Roads?

Vol. 4: Take Me Home

Vol. 5: So Much of Life Ahead

For mygranddaughters,

Carrie Hughes andKatie Russell

Chapter 1

~~~

Mom, can you take just a minute to talk to me? Jennyasked.

Sure. Diane Lyman set her red pencil in her textbook andclosed the book on her lap.

I want to ask you something, but will you please not say nountil youve heard the whole story?

Diane smiled, but she was wary. Jenny had just come in fromthe kitchen, where shed been talking to her dad on the telephone. Diane hadpicked up on some of the conversation. She knew that the two of them had beenplanning something and she could pretty well guess what Greg had said: Yourmoms going to say no, but get her to listen to you before she makes up hermind.

Go ahead, Diane said. Ill listen. But dont takeforever. Ive got a lot to do tonight.

Youve got a lot to do everynight.

But that was a little annoying. Jenny knew that Diane was ingrad school, taking night classes. They had talked it all out, and Jenny hadagreed that it would be hard for both of thembut worth it.Diane had finished her masters degree; now she was going on for anadministrative certificate. She wanted to become a principal. She had beenteaching Special Education and running resource rooms for a long time, but shehad been telling Jenny that she needed a change. Even more, she needed moreincome, and Jenny certainly agreed with that. This is a busy time, Diane said.

Jenny dropped onto the couch, across from Diane. It was thesame old flowered couch theyd had since Jenny had been little, and Dianewinced as she saw the sudden motion pull at a rip along a seam in front. Okay.Heres the thing. Jenny paused, lacing her fingers together on her lap. For agirl not yet sixteen, she could look very composed, and she knew how to soundreasonable. Dad is going to London. Marilyn cant go, so he could take me andit wouldnt cost him any extra for the hotel room. He can even use FrequentFlyer miles to buy my ticket, so taking me wouldnt cost him very much at all.He really wants me to go with him, and you know how much Ive alwayswanted

When is he going?

Its in about three weeksthe first week ofNovemberI know Id have to miss some days of school,but

How much school?

Jenny suddenly stood up. Never mind. Theres no use talkingto you. Youve got your mind made up already. I told Dad youd never let mego. Tears were starting in her eyes, but she stood tall, took on a hurt look,and then she turned and started toward her room.

Wait a minute.

Jenny stopped and turned back, tragedy still in her face.Diane could see Greg in that look. Jennys hair had darkened over the years toa walnut brownrich and shinyalmost as dark asher fathers, and she had his bone structure, too, the same carved, clean look.But she had Dianes eyes, big and smoky blue. And the combination was striking.Boys had discovered her in the last year or soeven though shewas skinny as a stickand she had begun to recognize the powerher pretty face gave her. She had also picked up some of her fathers skill atmanipulation, and that bothered Diane.

Ive never been anywhere, Mom. I just thought it would be achance to see something new, for once. Now the tears were working their waydown her cheeks.

Explain this to me, Jenny. Your father wont send us yourchild support so we can save up and take a trip of our ownbutnow he wants to be the hero and whisk you off to London to see the queen.

Okay, fine. Ill call him back and tell him I cant go.

Diane stood up. She wanted to touch Jenny, wanted at leastto let her know that she understood her disappointment, but she was furious atGreg for putting her in this situation. Honey, I dont think its good to missschool that way, and what about cross-country? You cant just run outon your team like that.

We dont have a big meet that week. I already looked at myschedule. Its just a practice thing that doesnt count in any of thestandings.

But youd lose a lot of conditioning. How long does he wantyou to be over there?

Its a weeksix days, really. Id only missone week of school and one cross-country run. And what I coulddoDad even said thisI could run in Hyde Parkevery day. Wed be staying right close to that area.

Oh, yes, Gregll certainly be staying in a fancy hotel.Dont you realize, Jenny, half the reason we have to live the way we do is thathe doesnt come through for his own daughter. Im tired of it.

But hes had all those problems with his business. Hesreally sorry he doesnt help us more. Thats why he wants to dothisto make up for some of that. And he has to go. Hes got adeal going over there, and if it comes through, he told me he would catch us upfor all the months hes missed. He really does want to

He really does lie,Jenny. By now you ought to know that about him.

Diane watched Jennys face lose all its composure, collapseinto that little-girl brokenheartedness that Diane had been trying torelieve all her life. Jenny broke into sobs and took off again, taking long-leggedstrides down the hallway and on into her bedroom. She shut the door firmlybehind her.

Diane was tempted to give Jenny what she wanted, but thetruth was, she didnt like the idea of Jenny being around her dad for thatlong. Greg claimed that he was still active in the Church, but she had heardfrom people who had watched him do it that he drank sometimes at socialeventsand she knew that he was connected to people who wereconsidered shady by legitimate businesspeople. Morality, for Greg, alwaysseemed to be whatever he could get away with, and if it served his purpose to seema good Church member in certain
circles, he presented himself that way. But Diane knew the truth about him: Theonly thing that mattered deeply to Greg was Greg himself.

Still, she had to watch how much she said to Jenny. The girlhad always wanted to believe in her fatherwhich was onlynatural. Diane had divorced Greg when Jenny was still a baby, back in the earlyseventies, and it was 1985 now. Greg had abused Diane, had actually beaten upon her, but in all these years, Diane had avoided telling Jenny that, and shedidnt plan to tell her, ever. She had to be careful about being too criticalof him. For one thing, it only made Jenny take his side.