we need to remind ourselves that we’re in Florida, not Indiana, and there are a few critters here that we don’t have back home,” Emma said as they entered the house.
Lamar nodded. “I thought of that the other day, when I spotted a gecko crawling along the windowsill outside our bedroom. We need to make sure we keep the screens in place on all the doors and windows so none of the outdoor critters can make their way inside.”
“That’s a good idea,” Emma agreed. “If I found a gecko crawling around in here, I’d probably fall on my face trying to catch the little creature.”
Lamar chuckled. “They do move quite fast.”
“And I don’t move like I used to, either,” Emma said as they made their way into the dining room, where the quilt class would be held.
“Do you need my help with anything before our students arrive?” Lamar asked.
“No, I think everything’s pretty much ready.” A knock sounded on the front door. “Now I wonder who that could be,” Emma said. “It’s too early for any of our students to be here.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Lamar went to the door and opened it.
Anna Lambright stepped in with red cheeks and tears in her eyes. “Anna, what’s wrong?” Emma asked, rushing to the young woman’s side.
“My folks are pressuring me again to move back home. I thought they understood why I wanted to live here, but now they’ve started badgering me.” Anna sniffed. “I know you spoke to them before I left Indiana, but will you talk to them again, Emma? Please make them see that I’m a grown woman with a life of my own.”
Emma put her arm around Anna’s trembling shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Anna. I thought your parents were fine with the idea of you being in Sarasota. They know Lamar and I are here to help with anything you might need, but perhaps it would be good if I remind them of that.”
Anna bobbed her head. “I think the thing that set them off was when they read an article in the paper about some robberies that had been going on down here. They’re worried I might not be safe.” She paused to blow her nose on the tissue Emma handed her. “They don’t realize I’m not a little girl anymore. Besides, robberies can happen anywhere.”
“That’s true. It seems like no one is safe these days,” Lamar put in. “However, we can’t hide out in our homes or stop living. We need to use caution and ask God to keep His protecting hand upon us.” He looked over at Emma. “We can certainly attest to that, right, Emma?”
She nodded, and was about to tell Anna what had just happened in their backyard, when another knock sounded on the door. While Lamar went to answer it, Emma motioned for Anna to take a seat. “Our quilt class doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes, so why don’t we visit awhile? I’m anxious to hear how your job at the restaurant is going.”
Anna smiled and took a seat at the table. “For me it’s going good, but not so much for one of the other waitresses.”
“Oh, why is that?”
Before Anna could respond, Lamar entered the room, pushing Erika in her wheelchair.
“Sorry for showing up early,” the young girl mumbled. “There was an emergency at the hospital, and my dad had to go, so the woman who Dad hired as my caregiver dropped me off now ’cause she has a hair appointment. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Emma said. She was pleased to see that Erika had come back. After last week, she’d half expected a call from Erika’s dad saying Erika had dropped out of the class. “Since you’re here early, you can join us and our Amish friend for a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade before the others in our class arrive. It’ll give us a chance to get better acquainted.”
Erika glanced at Anna, then back at Emma. “Something cold does sound good.”
Emma introduced Anna and Erika; then she excused herself to get the lemonade. Lamar went with her, and as they left the
Lamar nodded. “I thought of that the other day, when I spotted a gecko crawling along the windowsill outside our bedroom. We need to make sure we keep the screens in place on all the doors and windows so none of the outdoor critters can make their way inside.”
“That’s a good idea,” Emma agreed. “If I found a gecko crawling around in here, I’d probably fall on my face trying to catch the little creature.”
Lamar chuckled. “They do move quite fast.”
“And I don’t move like I used to, either,” Emma said as they made their way into the dining room, where the quilt class would be held.
“Do you need my help with anything before our students arrive?” Lamar asked.
“No, I think everything’s pretty much ready.” A knock sounded on the front door. “Now I wonder who that could be,” Emma said. “It’s too early for any of our students to be here.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Lamar went to the door and opened it.
Anna Lambright stepped in with red cheeks and tears in her eyes. “Anna, what’s wrong?” Emma asked, rushing to the young woman’s side.
“My folks are pressuring me again to move back home. I thought they understood why I wanted to live here, but now they’ve started badgering me.” Anna sniffed. “I know you spoke to them before I left Indiana, but will you talk to them again, Emma? Please make them see that I’m a grown woman with a life of my own.”
Emma put her arm around Anna’s trembling shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Anna. I thought your parents were fine with the idea of you being in Sarasota. They know Lamar and I are here to help with anything you might need, but perhaps it would be good if I remind them of that.”
Anna bobbed her head. “I think the thing that set them off was when they read an article in the paper about some robberies that had been going on down here. They’re worried I might not be safe.” She paused to blow her nose on the tissue Emma handed her. “They don’t realize I’m not a little girl anymore. Besides, robberies can happen anywhere.”
“That’s true. It seems like no one is safe these days,” Lamar put in. “However, we can’t hide out in our homes or stop living. We need to use caution and ask God to keep His protecting hand upon us.” He looked over at Emma. “We can certainly attest to that, right, Emma?”
She nodded, and was about to tell Anna what had just happened in their backyard, when another knock sounded on the door. While Lamar went to answer it, Emma motioned for Anna to take a seat. “Our quilt class doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes, so why don’t we visit awhile? I’m anxious to hear how your job at the restaurant is going.”
Anna smiled and took a seat at the table. “For me it’s going good, but not so much for one of the other waitresses.”
“Oh, why is that?”
Before Anna could respond, Lamar entered the room, pushing Erika in her wheelchair.
“Sorry for showing up early,” the young girl mumbled. “There was an emergency at the hospital, and my dad had to go, so the woman who Dad hired as my caregiver dropped me off now ’cause she has a hair appointment. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s not a problem at all,” Emma said. She was pleased to see that Erika had come back. After last week, she’d half expected a call from Erika’s dad saying Erika had dropped out of the class. “Since you’re here early, you can join us and our Amish friend for a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade before the others in our class arrive. It’ll give us a chance to get better acquainted.”
Erika glanced at Anna, then back at Emma. “Something cold does sound good.”
Emma introduced Anna and Erika; then she excused herself to get the lemonade. Lamar went with her, and as they left the
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