Weaving the Strands Read Online Free

know.”
    Their entrées arrived and they spent the next hour
and fifteen minutes in easy conversation centered on Cindy’s hopes for her baby
and her plans to juggle her family and her career. Gloria bit her tongue
several times. She knew that women today wanted to do things their own way and
didn’t want advice—no matter how well founded—from an old crone
like her. Still, she had taken a shine to this earnest young woman. When Cindy
looked at her watch and gasped, realizing that she was running late to meet her
husband, Gloria took her hand in both of hers.
    “I know that you’re perfectly prepared to care for
your baby, but sometimes things don’t go according to the books. If you’ll
permit me one piece of advice, go with your instincts. They won’t let you down.
You’ll know your child better than anyone else. And if I can ever help you
think anything through, you know where to find me. There probably isn’t much I
haven’t seen, raising nine kids.”
    “Oh, Gloria,” Cindy said, awkwardly leaning over
the table to give her a hug, “I was hoping you’d offer. And I can never express
how grateful I am to you for finishing Gram’s blanket.
    “Gramps,” she said as she gave Glenn a kiss on the
cheek, “you are the best. Thank you for this. Will you stop by after church on
Sunday? Tom needs help putting the crib together—correctly at least.”
    Glenn nodded and she swept back out the door.
    “She’s an absolute delight,” Gloria said as they
settled back into the booth. “She’ll make a fine mother.”
    Gloria studied Glenn intently. This outing had
done him a world of good. His color was better and his eyes sparkled.
    “Let’s see what Laura’s Pie of the Day is today,
shall we?” he asked. He was stuffed from lunch, but was enjoying himself so
much that he wasn’t ready to leave.
    “I’ve never met a pie I didn’t like. That’s a
capital idea!” Gloria replied.
    Over two slices of peach pie, Glenn and Gloria
delved into topics from art to zoology. They were discussing Glenn’s interest
in poetry and Gloria’s lack of knowledge on the subject when the waiters began
resetting the restaurant for the dinner crowd.
    “Good grief, it’s almost four o’clock,” Glenn
exclaimed. “And I remember that you wanted to be home by two,” he added
sheepishly. “I’m so sorry that I’ve kept you so long.”
    “Not at all,” Gloria hastily reassured him. “I had
no idea we’ve so much in common. I can’t remember a better afternoon. And I
want to hear more of your views on poetry; I’m intrigued. I think I’ll pick up
a volume from the library.”
    “I’ll do you one better,” Glenn replied. “I’ll
drop a couple of my favorite anthologies at your front door. Maybe we can go to
lunch together again to discuss them.”
    Gloria smiled. “That’s a grand idea.”
    With the promise of an encore in hand, they
reluctantly left the restaurant.

Chapter 4
    Maggie glanced up from the
spreadsheets strewn across her desk at Town Hall and checked the time. Three
o’clock. She’d been up to her elbows in figures all day and still wasn’t any
closer to making sense of them. At least she’d be seeing John tonight. The
thought brought a smile to her lips and she leaned back in her chair, taking
off her reading glasses and tossing them on her desk.
    Meeting John Allen, DVM, was possibly the best
thing that had ever happened to her. The long-divorced local veterinarian had
been so kind and gentle with both her and Eve, the stray terrier mix that
adopted Maggie on her first morning at Rosemont. How could she not start falling
for him?
    She’d left California with the firm conviction
that relationships weren’t for her. By the time Paul died in the cardiac ICU,
their relationship had soured. What she learned after his death made her wonder
if she’d ever really known the man she’d been married to for more than
twenty-five years. Not only had Paul embezzled more than two million