felt almost physical pain.
Katie was still sleeping in Josh’s arms when she made her way to the kitchen. Molly was chattering to him as she dropped ice into glasses and poured soda out of a two-liter bottle. Eden sank into a chair and watched her old friend. She felt as though Molly might disappear and leave her bereft again.
Molly handed them each a glass and sat in the chair beside Eden. “Now tell me what you’re doing here,” she demanded. “And why didn’t you answer any of my letters?”
“Letters? I never got any letters. I lost your address, and my foster mother said it was just as well, that it was best to break with the past.”
“I sent you a letter every week for months.” Molly frowned. “Do you suppose she kept them from you?”
“It’s possible,” Eden said slowly. “She was afraid to let me get close to anyone from school. I think she knew I wouldn’t be there long. She taught me to iron and clean, and I was so busy I didn’t have time to miss not having any friends. But I never forgot you, Molly.”
“I even wrote your aunt once to see if she’d heard from you. She sent me back a very nice letter but said she hadn’t heard a word and didn’t expect to.”
Excitement threatened to choke Eden. She gripped Molly’s hand. “You have my aunt’s address? I can’t even remember her name. I only met her the one time.”
“Oh, Eden, I don’t remember either now!” Molly slapped her forehead with the heel of her hand.
Eden’s burgeoning hope faded, and she felt near tears.
Molly bit her lip. “Wait! I might still have the letter. My husband says I’m a hopeless pack rat, and I have a whole box of childhood mementos and letters. Let me look.” She jumped to her feet and dashed down the hall.
Eden looked at Josh. “Hang in there,” he whispered. “Don’t give up hope yet.”
She nodded, but her throat was too tight with unshed tears to speak. All this way for nothing. But no, not nothing. She’d found Molly. That was something.
A shriek echoed down the hall. “I found it!” Moments later, Molly came running down the hall. “Here it is, Eden! Her name is Selma Johnson, and she lives in Michigan.” She held out a tattered envelope.
Eden reached out a trembling hand and closed her fingers on it. It was a link to her family. Her only link.
Chapter 9
Josh watched the play of emotions across Eden’s expressive face from the corner of his eye. The van hummed smoothly across the highway, trundling toward Wabash. Eden smoothed the letter from her aunt across her lap as though caressing a treasure. And he supposed to her it was. His own emotions were running high, so he could only imagine how Eden felt. They would be home soon, and then they could decide what their next step was.
Home. Already he was beginning to think of that dilapidated Victorian as home. Though shabby, its fading grandeur was enhanced by the warm presence of this woman beside him. Eden could make any house a home. She had a presence about her, a calming competence that set people at ease. He’d just seen her do it with Molly. People took to her right off, children and adults alike. Josh had never met anyone like her.
No wonder Katie adored her. He felt a stab of guilt at the thought of his plans to gain custody of his niece. Where was his trust, his faith in God? He’d been scheming and laying his own plans without even consulting God. The problem was, he had a feeling God wouldn’t slap a rubber stamp labeled APPROVED on his plan to take Katie. He knew Katie needed to be with family, but in his heart he admitted Eden was a better mother than Mandy would have been. It ached to admit it to himself, but it was true, nonetheless.
Eden’s soft voice broke into his tortured thoughts. “You don’t think we’ll find them, do you? I thought you’d be glad we’ve gotten this much information.”
“I am.” He forced a note of cheerfulness into his voice. “I was just thinking about my future. Of
Katie was still sleeping in Josh’s arms when she made her way to the kitchen. Molly was chattering to him as she dropped ice into glasses and poured soda out of a two-liter bottle. Eden sank into a chair and watched her old friend. She felt as though Molly might disappear and leave her bereft again.
Molly handed them each a glass and sat in the chair beside Eden. “Now tell me what you’re doing here,” she demanded. “And why didn’t you answer any of my letters?”
“Letters? I never got any letters. I lost your address, and my foster mother said it was just as well, that it was best to break with the past.”
“I sent you a letter every week for months.” Molly frowned. “Do you suppose she kept them from you?”
“It’s possible,” Eden said slowly. “She was afraid to let me get close to anyone from school. I think she knew I wouldn’t be there long. She taught me to iron and clean, and I was so busy I didn’t have time to miss not having any friends. But I never forgot you, Molly.”
“I even wrote your aunt once to see if she’d heard from you. She sent me back a very nice letter but said she hadn’t heard a word and didn’t expect to.”
Excitement threatened to choke Eden. She gripped Molly’s hand. “You have my aunt’s address? I can’t even remember her name. I only met her the one time.”
“Oh, Eden, I don’t remember either now!” Molly slapped her forehead with the heel of her hand.
Eden’s burgeoning hope faded, and she felt near tears.
Molly bit her lip. “Wait! I might still have the letter. My husband says I’m a hopeless pack rat, and I have a whole box of childhood mementos and letters. Let me look.” She jumped to her feet and dashed down the hall.
Eden looked at Josh. “Hang in there,” he whispered. “Don’t give up hope yet.”
She nodded, but her throat was too tight with unshed tears to speak. All this way for nothing. But no, not nothing. She’d found Molly. That was something.
A shriek echoed down the hall. “I found it!” Moments later, Molly came running down the hall. “Here it is, Eden! Her name is Selma Johnson, and she lives in Michigan.” She held out a tattered envelope.
Eden reached out a trembling hand and closed her fingers on it. It was a link to her family. Her only link.
Chapter 9
Josh watched the play of emotions across Eden’s expressive face from the corner of his eye. The van hummed smoothly across the highway, trundling toward Wabash. Eden smoothed the letter from her aunt across her lap as though caressing a treasure. And he supposed to her it was. His own emotions were running high, so he could only imagine how Eden felt. They would be home soon, and then they could decide what their next step was.
Home. Already he was beginning to think of that dilapidated Victorian as home. Though shabby, its fading grandeur was enhanced by the warm presence of this woman beside him. Eden could make any house a home. She had a presence about her, a calming competence that set people at ease. He’d just seen her do it with Molly. People took to her right off, children and adults alike. Josh had never met anyone like her.
No wonder Katie adored her. He felt a stab of guilt at the thought of his plans to gain custody of his niece. Where was his trust, his faith in God? He’d been scheming and laying his own plans without even consulting God. The problem was, he had a feeling God wouldn’t slap a rubber stamp labeled APPROVED on his plan to take Katie. He knew Katie needed to be with family, but in his heart he admitted Eden was a better mother than Mandy would have been. It ached to admit it to himself, but it was true, nonetheless.
Eden’s soft voice broke into his tortured thoughts. “You don’t think we’ll find them, do you? I thought you’d be glad we’ve gotten this much information.”
“I am.” He forced a note of cheerfulness into his voice. “I was just thinking about my future. Of
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