A Promise Remembered by Elizabeth Mowers

Author:Elizabeth Mowers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-11-30T20:04:52+00:00

* * *

ANNIE FIDDLED WITH the frayed edges of her napkin when she heard a gentle rap at the screen door.

“Honey, are you okay?”

Annie bit her lip as Marjorie let herself in and eased into a kitchen chair next to her. She gently rested her aged hand on top of hers.

“You tellin’ that napkin who’s boss?” she asked with a wink, but Annie’s face scrunched as the tears fell hard and heavily. “What’s wrong, sweet pea?”

Annie glanced over her shoulder at the children, who were hypnotized in front of the television, before turning to her friend.

“James,” she managed to say between sobs that wouldn’t dissipate fast enough for her to speak the words she needed to.

“James?” Marjorie whispered, surrounding her in a hug of faint lavender and facial powder. Marjorie smelled of all things feminine, all things comforting. Annie longed for the mother who couldn’t be with her, but soothed the wounded child within herself, thanks to Marjorie’s tender embrace.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Sean?” Marjorie supplied. Annie accepted a wad of napkins and buried her nose in them. “What happened, child?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she whimpered. “It’s always the same. It’s always hardest on James.”

“Is there anywhere you could go? Do you have family in another part of the country?”

Annie shook her head, covering her face with her hands.

“It’s just us.”

“And me,” Marjorie replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “I’m always here for you, no matter what you need.”

“I know. It’s one of the reasons we’ve stayed.”

Marjorie sat back in contemplation. “Do you want me to take the children out of the house while you’re at the wedding later?”

The wedding. She hadn’t thought about it since arriving at Sean’s apartment.

“No. I can’t tonight.”

“Of course you can. Don’t let him rob you of this, too.”

“I need to stay home with James tonight.”

“Even if I take the children swimming for the afternoon?”

“Swimming!” Betsy called from the family room.

“How on earth did you hear me from all the way over there?” Marjorie laughed as Betsy hurried into her arms. James quietly followed, hesitating at Annie’s side as she wiped her eyes.

“Are we going swimming, Mom?” he asked.

“Do you want me to take you?” She wrapped her arms around his little body as he shook a reply into her shoulder.

“Marjorie can take us.”

“Your mother has to take a shower and get dressed now. You two go find your swimsuits and towels.”

“I can’t tonight, Marjorie,” Annie sighed. “I really can’t.”

“You go get in the shower, child, and hurry up. He’ll be here in less than an hour.”

“Are you going to wear that pretty dress you showed us?” Betsy asked, pivoting from one foot to the other.

Annie groaned. “Don’t you want me to go swimming instead?”

“No.” James smiled. “I want to see you in your dress.”

“Really?”

“Dress!” Betsy squealed.

“Majority rules,” Marjorie declared, pulling Annie to her feet and swatting her on the backside. “Get your tuckus in the shower and wash the day off you.”

Annie trudged upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bathtub and started the hot water, listening to it pelt the side of the shower.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.