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“I’ care of children could keep you so busy Leanne, could you check on the kids upstairs for me?”
“Okay” A pretty girl around fifteen got up froave Rachel a sirl didn’t take after her ree hadn’t had a sweet bone in her body Her older sister seeh
As soon as the girl disappeared froned expression “Okay, you can let me have it now”
Rachel looked at her friend, who had been toria and then abused by Lewis “You are the kindest person I know Is there anything I can do to help?”
Deep in her heart, she didn’t bla someone’s life
Willa gave a relieved laugh “Don’t tempt me I’m behind on my orders and the house is wrecked”
Rachel rolled up the sleeves of her dress “I’ll do the dishes then clean while you bake”
“I can’t ask—” Willa began
“You’re not asking; I’ers, ouldn’t I give it to a friend?”
“You consider yourself my friend?” Willa’s eyes filled with tears
Rachel reached out, taking Willa into her arive her the warmth of her touch the woive it to her ords
“You have a lot of friends that would help if you let us Lily, Beth, and Evie—we all consider ourselves your friends”
Willa brushed her tears aith a hand, giving a suys”
“Willa, you couldn’t be pushy if you tried Now, get busy while I take care of thisuncomfortable with the conversation, so she busied herself cleaning the kitchen around Willa, doing the dishes behind her, leaving her free to bake
When she had the kitchen spotless, she worked throughout the house, picking up the toys and placing the a mental note that would make Willa’s life easier It caan just how hard it was to entertain little ones
She went upstairs, cleaning the bedrooms The bathrooms were a mess of towels and a full laundry hamper Rachel started a load while she cleaned the bathrooms, then dried that one when she’d finished and started another
The children ignored her as she cleaned around the ahen she aze Leanne and Sissy were both old enough to help out with the housework Willa had literally been thrown into the deep end of the ocean without any help
She folded the clothes and put the back downstairs It was beginning to get dark, so Rachel pulled out her phone, ordering three pizzas Satisfied, she went into the kitchen to see Willaroses to place on top of a cake while two other cakes were sitting on the counter as well as three pies
“I can’t thank you enough, Rachel I’ll call King and ask if someone can stop by and pick up his order”
“I’ll drop it off on o?” Willa boxed up one of the cakes and all the pies “His orders are getting larger each week Theout with the extra expenses,” Willa said, closing the last box
Rachel packed the boxes out to her car She had closed the door when the pizza delivery truck pulled up Rachel paid the driver then turned to take the pizzas inside before hesitating, turning back to the driver Carl was apart-ti laid off from the coal mine
“Do you have any more deliveries to make?”
“Nope, I’m headed back to the store” The pizza joint was next door to King’s restaurant
Going to her car, she pulled out her purse and took out another twenty “Would you ’s for me?”
“No probleht” He carried the desserts to his car
“Willa has to make several deliveries a week” Rachel took out a
pen and paper and wrote down Willa’s nuive her a call to”
Carl’s face brightened; Rachel guessed he was eager for additional income
“I can’t promise, but I’ll mention it to her”
“That would be great Thanks, Rachel”
“I hope it works out,” she said, picking up the pizzas and saying goodbye
Willa’s eyes widened when she saw the food “You shouldn’t have”
“I thought I would inviteout the plates
Rachel explained that she had asked Carl to deliver the desserts and had told him to call Willa about a possible job
“That’s a great idea I can’t offer him a lot of hours, but it would take a load off my shoulders I have to bundle everyone intohim for a few hours a ould make it much easier,” Willa said, enthused by the idea
“I think he will be happy hatever hours you offer”