[Second Chances 02]California Dreams by Morris Fenris Page B

for the planning session to begin. “The Children’s Choir has all of it’s funding for the next semester.”
    Cheers went up from her co-workers, and Grace grinned and cheered with them. It looked like this year was going to be a good one.

Chapter 12
    As soon as Grace could, she left the center and headed home, calling Sara in Montana using the hands-free feature in her car, “Sara?”
    “Grace! How is everything going?” Sara sat down in the overstuffed chair next to the fireplace and curled her feet beneath her. Trent had gone into town to take care of some sheriff’s business and she had just been thinking about her sister and niece.
    “Great! You’re not going to believe what just happened.”
    “Tell me.”
    “When I got to the arts center this morning, Derek was just finishing up a tour with an older couple. Their son is the director and teacher of the new preschool where Dani’s going Monday. Anyway, he brought his class to a fall concert and his parents helped chaperone the outing. Now they’ve decided to underwrite the entire semester!”
    “What?! But that amounts to almost one hundred thousand dollars, including salaries and such.”
    “I know. I asked Derek if he had discussed numbers with them, and he did. I can’t believe it.”
    “I can’t believe that in a city as large as San Diego, your daughter’s new preschool teacher, and his parents have both become part of your world. Don’t you find that strange?”
    “Well, maybe. But not really. It’s not that unusual for people who are involved in private schooling to also be heavily involved in the arts. They kind of go hand-in-hand.”
    Sara thought of that and agreed, “I see your point. Well, congratulations. That means you won’t have to fundraise with your students, and can just concentrate on music.”
    “Oh, you don’t know what a blessing that will be. I hate fundraising, as you well know.”
    “Yes, I do know. How’s Jane doing?” Sara asked, changing the subject.
    “Spending lots of time with Samuel.”
    “Really? That’s good, right?”
    “Yes. Those two were made for each other, if they just quit circling around each other and admit they might have feelings for one another. I think maybe they’ve discussed it, but Jane hasn’t brought the subject up and I don’t really know her well enough yet to ask.”
    “Just ask her. She’s one of the easiest people to talk to I’ve ever met,” Sara told her, thinking back to her arrival in Castle Peaks and how easy talking with Jane had been.
    “Maybe I’ll give it a try. Hey, I should probably go. I’m getting ready to jump on the interstate and you know how much I hate that.”
    “Hang up now. I’ll talk to you a little later in the week. Oh, and we’re sending Jane flowers for her birthday. They should be arriving sometime the afternoon of the 29th. Congrats.” Sara took the decision to hang up away from her sister, disconnecting the call on her end.
    It sounded like things were going well in California and she smiled. Trent and she were both hoping that Jane and Samuel would figure out they were meant to be together, but both of them were very stubborn and fairly reserved. Sara had instructed Grace to keep them informed and if need be, they’d do a little matchmaking to ensure a relationship was on the agenda.
    *****
    Grace arrived home to find Jane and Daniella just cleaning up after having a lovely tea party. “Hello.”
    “Mommy, Aunt Jane, and I had a tea party, and played dressed up, and we made finger sandwiches, and…”
    “Whoa! It sounds like you and Aunt Jane had lots of fun.” Grace told her daughter, glancing over at Jane who thankfully was still smiling.
    “We did! Is it time to go to school?”
    “Yes, ma’am. That’s why I’m here. Run wash your hands and face and then we’ll change your clothes.” Grace shooed her daughter down the hallway, laughing as she skipped away.
    “You seem happy. I guess your meetings went well?” Jane