Merrily urged, trying not to hover as Royce pulled up onto the crutches once again. “I will, I will.” His jaw was clenched, his face set with concentration as he positioned his weight. When he was standing firmly, he glanced at her nervously. “That was pretty quick, wasn’t it?” She nodded. “You’ll have plenty of time to get up before they see you.” “Are you sure the wheelchair is out of sight?” he asked, plopping down onto the recliner once more. Merrily smiled. Ever since Dale had called to say that he was finally bringing the children to see their father, Royce had been on pins and needles. He had immediately declared that Tammy and Cory would not see him in “that damned chair.” Merrily knew that it was his way of assuring them that he would make a full recovery, so she had little difficulty exercising patience with him. “The chair is in your dressing room. No one’s going to see it there unless they go looking for it.” “All right. Good.” He carefully propped the crutches on the side of the chair, grumbling, “I wish I could answer the door myself.”
