New Beginnings Read Online Free PDF Page A

o’clock. Her head felt much clearer than it had earlier, the anesthetic having worked its way out of her system.
    Gingerly, she sat up. The pull of stitches tugged at her midsection, and her insides felt as though they had been rearranged. But laparoscopic surgery led to a far less painful recovery than more invasive techniques.
    In the bathroom, she threw some water on her face and found her robe. As she opened the bedroom door, she heard Izzy’s childish whisper and a responding female voice.
    Her brows lifted.
Sarah’s here?
    The family appeared to have gathered in the kitchen and adjacent living room. Rafael sat in the recliner, an amused expression on his face as he watched Sarah and Izzy making…a cloud of flour dust?
    “What on earth are you two making?” Elena asked.
    Izzy squealed and wiped a speck of flour off her glasses. “Buela’s awake!” She hopped down from the step stool she’d been standing on at the counter and raced to Elena, pulling up short before smashing into her. “Mommy and me are making shortcake!”
    Color seeped through the flour covering on Sarah’s face. “I brought frozen strawberries and whipped cream. I thought homemade shortcake and berries would make a nice dessert, if you’re hungry.” She glance at the countertop. “I’m afraid we got carried away dusting the cake pan.”
    “Yes, I can see that.”
    “There’s more flour on her than in the cake.” Rafael eased out of the recliner and strolled over to Sarah, looping his arm around her shoulders. “Isn’t that right, Miss Shortcake Beauty Queen?” There was a teasing glint in his eyes when he looked at the mother of his child.
    Sarah blushed again and slid her gaze away. For a second, Elena felt like the world had stopped. This new development in Rafael and Sarah’s relationship was such an answer to prayer.
    “She brought some great chicken soup for dinner too,” Rafael added. “Lots of rice and veggies. You’ll like it.”
    Sarah quickly turned on the stove under the pot of soup. “It will only take a minute or two to warm up.”
    Izzy took Elena’s hand and tugged her toward the table. “I can help you sit down at the table. Mommy says you have to rest a lot.”
    “Thank you, sweetie.” Settling in her chair at the retro chrome and Formica table, Elena gave Izzy a hug.
    Cesar strolled into the room. “You’re up. Shouldn’t you still be sleeping?”
    She took his hand. “I woke feeling quite rested, so I’m going to have some of Sarah’s chicken soup.”
    “It’s good too.” Cesar winked.
    “Word is, she’s been keeping her talents hidden under a basket all these years,” Rafael said.
    “All I did was read a recipe,” Sarah said, chuckling.
    “Yeah, but you read it right. Not everyone can do that.” He tapped a fingertip on her flour-dusted nose. “Shortcake.”
    Looking up, Elena met Cesar’s gaze. He gave a don’t-ask-me shrug, and she smiled. The relationship between Sarah and her son appeared to be progressing toward a new level, one that might just become permanent.

Chapter Five
    T HREE DAYS AFTER HER SURGERY, ELENA HAD regained a lot of her strength, although she found that she needed an afternoon nap. But she felt so much better than she had before her surgery.
    Sitting in the recliner in the living room, she was doing some hand embroidery on the red velvet cape she was making for Izzy’s Christmas Eve show at church—little green Christmas trees with colorful ornaments on each tip of the collar. She smiled, thinking Izzy was going to look beautiful in the cape.
    She heard the back door open.
    Moments later Cesar stepped into the kitchen. “I’m home!”
    “Yes, I heard you come in.” She didn’t look up from her needlework.
    “I’ve got a surprise for you. A really big surprise.”
    She tucked the needle securely in the fabric. “You’ve been promoted to chief of police?”
    “Nope.” He pulled up a chair in front of her. “Better than that.”
    Not that she’d