But there were three more inescapably compelling reasons to attend. Hannah, Troy and Brian. While Kealey had initially been surprised at how well the children had taken to Luke’s strays, now she was overwhelmed by their total and selfless devotion to them. She knew most kids would have contrived dozens of excuses to avoid the work. But the Baker trio acted as though the animal-related chores were a reward. Orphans helping orphans. Kealey looked upward, frowning as she spotted a few grayish clouds scuttling across the sky. The one thing that could ruin their outdoor party would be the weather. Parking several houses away from Luke’s, she noted that the street was already filling up. Grabbing two bouquets of balloons, she glanced at her watch, seeing that she was thirty minutes early, in plenty of time to help decorate. Bypassing the front door, she opened the arched wooden gate that led to the backyard.
