A Sister's Forgiveness Read Online Free PDF Page B

people. Dan regularly attended church and was an outstanding leader when it came to organizing other young people. But next year he would be off to college while Sadie had two more years of high school to finish. One of the things Emma and Jeannie had discussed more than once was that Sadie would be brokenhearted when Dan left and that they would need to help her mend.
    “You mustn’t get used to the idea of Dan picking you and Tessa up for school, Sadie.” She stopped speaking and took a sip of coffee, hating the way she sounded so like their spinster neighbor, Olive Crowder.
    “We won’t,” Sadie said as she gulped down the last of her orange juice. “But think of it, Mom. This is Tessa’s first day at the academy, and think how the other kids will sit up and take notice when she walks into school with Dan.”
    Emma understood that at least on some level Sadie was sincerely doing this for her cousin. Like Jeannie, Sadie wanted Tessa’s first day of high school to be special. It did not occur to either of them that Tessa really did not care about making a first impression socially. She had confided to Emma that she was far more concerned about whether she would be able to keep up academically with the other students.
    Sadie looked out the window for the fourth time in ten minutes. Dan was running late, which wasn’t unusual, but the last thing Emma wanted was for him to be rushing on a rainy day like this one. Just when Emma was about to suggest that maybe Lars should drive Sadie after all, a car horn beeped and Sadie grabbed her backpack. “That’s Dan.” Her voice trembled with excitement. She blew Emma and Lars a kiss as she flew out the door.
    Emma watched from the kitchen window as Sadie scampered around the front of the car and climbed in. Dan had not gotten out to open the door for her; rather, he had leaned across the front seat and pushed it open. She heard Sadie laughing as the door slammed and Dan shifted into reverse, spinning shell gravel as he peeled out of their driveway.
    “They’ll be all right,” Lars told her as he reached around her to put his cereal bowl in the sink.
    “He’s too old for her.”
    “Two years’ difference,” Lars reminded her. “We have four years between us.”
    “But that’s different. We’re adults. She’s a child yet, and he’s—”
    “Sadie is a smart girl. This too shall pass,” Lars said as he reached for his hat. “Matt? Es ist spat,” he called as he passed the hallway that led to the bedrooms. “I’ll take Matt to school, and then I’ll be in the shop if you need me.” He kissed her forehead. “Stop worrying,” he advised.
    After everyone left, Emma finished washing the breakfast dishes and then poured herself a second cup of coffee. Lars was right. Sadie was very good at sizing up people. And Lars had made an excellent point. He’d just turned fifteen when his family moved in across the street from Emma’s. She had been eleven. She certainly did not need to be reminded of a time when she’d developed a crush on a handsome popular older boy—a time when she would have done just about anything he asked of her if he would just walk her home from church.
    “Have faith,” she murmured as she sat down at the kitchen table and reached for the phone.

Chapter 6
    Jeannie
    T he first day of a new school year was always chaotic around the Messner house. Who was she kidding? Most days were chaotic around their house. But on this day, Geoff was especially anxious. He would never admit it, but Jeannie was well aware that he had hardly slept the night before, and the tension she thought they’d finally laid to rest was back, stretched like a wire between them.
    He was running late and that made him even edgier and more impatient. And as was so often the case, it was her fault. It wasn’t the first time in their sixteen-year marriage that Jeannie had put something that Geoff or Tessa needed in a place where she was sure to find it and then had