Page 8 (1/2)

"HI wonder where it is" Hannah turned back to her bread project and lifted a cloth from a bowl

I sipped raph

"Ethan didn’t speak for al one day I think he was in shock when she didn’t come backand it took him some time to accept it, even in his four-year-old h

Wow My poor Ethan It hurt me just to hear this story The sadness in Hannah’s words was pretty intense and I struggled with any kind of response that didn’t sound ignorant I wish I kne their ine how hard that must have been for everyone Ethan speaks so kindly of you and his father, though He told ether once your mother passed"

Hannah nodded as she worked "We did, it’s true" She punched the ball of dough and covered the boith the cloth again to allow a second rising "I think the suddenness was a good thing in the end There was no long illness or sad dwellings on what could not be changed, and in tirandmother onderful" She sone about six years now"

I didn’t knohat to say, so I just stayed quiet and sipped my coffee, and hoped she would share ht Murandfather’s funeral" Hannah turned to Zara, who had gotten down fro out of the kitchen "Don’t wake up Uncle Ethan, my love He’s very tired"

"I won’t" Zara answered her ave a little wave

My heart ave her a wink

"That is one adorable child you have So independent I love it"

"Thank you She is a handful soood for her I know she’ll be trying to get Ethan up out of bed and getting her sweets"

I laughed at the iot to witness it "And you have two other children too--both boys, I heard I don’t kno you ht of her kids gave her a good feeling inside I could tell Hannah was a great mom and I admired her for it

"I’uests here Wepeople Soood," she said jokingly "And soe without Freddy He took the boys to volunteer at a charity breakfast for the Boy Scouts They’ll be home in a bit, and you can uests staying here?"

"Not this weekend You and et you for breakfast?"

I ca mission "Oh, I’m fine with the coffee for now I’ll wait for Ethan In the meantime, could you use some help with the bread? I love to bake It would be therapy for rinned and pushed a lock of hair away from her face with a bent wrist "You’re hired, Brynne Aprons are on the back of the pantry door and I want to hear all about the insanity of last night"

"That was easy," I said as I went for the apron

"I’ood thing" She pegged ray eyes "And you never have to ask me twice"

3

I don’t knohat co on ardless, I now understand why horror movies with children in the fil at you while you’re sleeping, or even worse, to wake up to