Anchor of Hope Read Online Free PDF

all the mod cons—I asked the jeweller and she told me it was the best of the best. If you don't like it, I can always take it back and exchange it.”
    “No, I love it. Thanks, kiddo.” He gave Ashley a kiss on the cheek.
    Jane rose to her feet and gave Ashley a hug.
    “I better get going.”
    “OK, honey. You can take my car.” Jane retrieved the keys from the hook by the front entrance mirror. “This is the house key,” she said pinching the key with the blue mark across the top, “in case we're not home when you get back. Do you remember how to get there?”
    “Yeah, Mom. I haven't been gone that long.”
    “OK, drive safe. Love you,” Jane called as Ashley ran down the front porch steps towards her mother’s white Corolla.
    “You too,” Ashley called back.
     
    She could hear the girls yelling from inside the house before she even had a chance to knock. 
    “She's here! She's here!”
    Jess opened the door and the two girls shot straight past their mother. Coco wrapped herself tightly around Ashley’s leg and Meika waited patiently for Ashley to bend down and give her a hug and a kiss.
    “Wow! Look at you guys. You're getting so big!”
    Ashley had kept in regular contact with the girls, keeping up-to-date with their lives through Bryan’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, and Skyping them from time to time.
    “How are you, Ash?” Jess gave her a warm hug. “Come in, come in.”
    Jess was still stunningly beautiful. She had this classic all-American look about her. Her tall and slightly curvy figure hadn’t changed despite having three kids. She had been a medical receptionist before becoming a stay-at-home mom, and now she helped out in the cafe whenever Bryan needed her.
    Ashley stepped inside and saw Bryan walking towards her, carrying Harley.
    “Oh, Harley, look at you! What a handsome little man you are.” Ashley held out her arms to take him. Harley turned his back and held on tightly to Bryan. An understandable reaction, as she’d never met him face to face before.
    “No? Too shy?” Ashley giggled and lowered her hands.
    “Aunty Ashley, look what I can do!” Coco bellowed and proceeded to do a rather lopsided somersault.
    “That's great!”
    “She doesn't know how to do it properly.” Meika pushed Coco out of the way. “I do. I go to gymnastics.” She then did a perfect somersault.
    “Mine was better,” Coco said.
    “No it wasn't—yours was stupid.”
    “You're stupid!” Coco shoved Meika into the wall.
    Ashley grimaced and glanced between Bryan and Jess. Were the girls always this loud and argumentative?
    “Hey, hey! Girls! Stop that!” Bryan handed Harley to Jess, and dropped down on one knee to come to eye level with the girls. “We don't speak to each other like that. And especially not in front of guests. Now, what do we do when we hurt someone’s feelings?”
    The two girls looked at each other and reluctantly said 'sorry' but because they both said sorry at the same time they broke out in a fit of laughter.
    “Come on through to the living room, Ash.” They walked up the hallway into the combined the kitchen, dining and living area.
    “You've done some renovations too, I see.”
    Jess nodded. “We took the wall out. It feels more open and airy now, don't you think?”
    “Definitely.”
    Jess placed Harley on the ground and he darted by behind the couch to hide from  a safe distance and keep a watchful eye on Ashley. There was a cheeky smile on his face.
    “Red or white?” Bryan asked holding up two bottles of wine.
    “Either. I don't mind.”
    “Go with the red, honey,” Jess said to Bryan, then turned back to Ashley. “It's good.”
    “Aunty Ashley, what’s in that bag?” Coco  pointed at the bag full of gifts.
    “Those are for you guys.” Ashley smiled.
    Coco's mouth and eyes opened wide with delight.
    Ashley pulled out the first present. “This one is actually for everyone.”
    “Can I open it?” Coco was busting with excitement so Ashley