Amanda: A Contemporary Retelling of Emma by Debra White Smith

Author:Debra White Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Romance;FIC042040;FIC027020;FIC042000
ISBN: 9781493413898
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2018-03-02T05:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

Sunday, after morning services, Amanda sat in Haley’s sunroom and nibbled the Big Mac she’d picked up on the way to Haley’s. But she couldn’t even enjoy the special sauce this time. She’d purchased a burger for each of them along with a large fry they were sharing. Haley was half finished with her burger and slurping her soda.

“I can’t believe how much better I feel today than yesterday,” Haley claimed. “It’s like the antibiotics have finally taken over. I might even get dressed in some regular clothes before the day’s over.” She looked down at the satin pajamas and house robe Amanda bought yesterday. “Imagine that!”

Amanda hoped her smile appeared more genuine and interested than it felt. She’d worried all weekend about telling Haley the sordid Mason saga. Amanda hadn’t wanted to upset Haley when she was so ill. Now that her friend was better, she knew the inevitable must happen. It wasn’t honest or fair to leave Haley believing Mason was her man when he was anything but.

He hadn’t been in church this morning. Several people were whispering about his taking an unexpected leave of absence—a month—from his ministerial position. He had supposedly gone to Launceston, where his parents lived. Amanda didn’t need anyone to piece together the clues for her. She knew his leaving town was directly related to her rejection.

Sighing, she observed Haley. While her hair was a bit frizzed and her eyes still somewhat hollow, her cheeks were beginning to show some signs of color, even without makeup. Amanda placed her barely eaten burger in its wrapper, tucked the paper around it, and placed it on the table.

“Did you get to talk to Mason today?” Haley set the remainder of her burger on its wrapper, as well. “You did give him my note Friday night, didn’t you?” she asked, her brow wrinkled.

Haley’s question nearly made Amanda choke on nothing. Her friend had felt so bad yesterday, Amanda had been relieved of the necessity of such a question. She stared toward Mount Wellington and prayed the Lord would give her some scrap of wisdom He’d never imparted before. This morning during the service’s prayer time, Amanda had reminded the Lord of her pledge to not play matchmaker again unless it was absolutely necessary. Amanda wished she’d stated that prayer last winter.

“I, uh . . .” Amanda cleared her throat, plopped her burger box on the wicker table, and reached for her bottle of mineral water. She downed a swallow of the chilled liquid and waited for it to hit her stomach. “Haley,” she said and gripped the water bottle, “Mason wasn’t at church today. He—he’s taken a one-month leave of absence.”

“At Christmastime?” she asked, her eyes widening. “What about the Christmas cantata?”

“Haley . . .” Amanda shook her head back and forth and gurgled out something that sounded like a drowning frog.

“But he didn’t even call me to tell me he was leaving,” Haley whimpered. She laid her burger on the table and pulled one of the plaid pillows to her midsection.

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