The Promise of Palm Grove Read Online Free PDF Page A

looked up and smiled, she smiled back. “Hi.”
    â€œHi, Effie,” Jennifer C. chirped. “Did you come for pie or supper?”
    â€œBoth,” she replied, because it wasn’t like she could ignore them. Then she noticed both of their eyes kept darting her brother’s way. “This is my brother, Zack.”
    â€œHey,” Zack said.
    And both girls blushed and giggled. “Hi.”
    After their mamms said hi, too, Effie followed her brother and the hostess to the table. But just as she was walking, a man in front of her abruptly scooted back his chair and got to his feet.
    His motion meant she had to sidestep in the crowded, narrow space between two tables, putting even more pressure onher already tired legs. The muscles in her legs twitched. She shifted her hips in an attempt to support the weight.
    But it was too much. Her left leg buckled. Right there, in front of Jennifer C. and Melanie.
    Instinctively, she reached out for the side of a table. A chair. Anything to help prevent her from falling completely on the ground.
    And in that split second, her embarrassment reached a new level.
    Next thing she knew, a woman about Zack’s age leapt out of her seat and wrapped a reassuring arm around Effie. Immediately, her muscles righted themselves and she regained her balance.
    Just in the nick of time.
    â€œEasy now,” the woman said with a reassuring smile. “Don’t rush yourself.”
    Effie was breathing hard, both from the effort of holding herself stiff and from the awful knowledge that half the people in the place were now watching her fight to stay on two feet. “ Danke .”
    â€œYou okay?” the woman whispered. “You didn’t fall, but I fear you might have pulled a muscle or strained yourself.”
    The lady really was very kind. “I’m gut . Danke, ” Effie said again. “I’m sorry for the trouble.” With effort, she pulled herself away from the woman’s grip and righted herself—just as Zack reached her other side.
    â€œEffie, you good?” Zack asked, his voice sounding unnaturally loud in the lull of conversation.
    â€œ Jah .” But she wasn’t. She wished she could run to the bathroom or right out of the restaurant. Or rewind the last five minutes.
    â€œ Gut .” He smiled.
    Effie returned his grin. And then, just like that, everyone in the restaurant went back to their private conversations.
    Happy the drama was over, she breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t making a big deal out of what had just happened. “I think your legs are getting much stronger,” he murmured. “Used to be, you could never have righted yourself so quickly. All that swimming the doctor recommended really has been helping.”
    As nice as it would be to take that credit, Effie knew she couldn’t. “Zack, actually, it was this lady’s quick reflexes which saved the day. I would have fallen if not for her.” Effie looked to her right, intent on showing Zack who had been so kind.
    But it turned out that she didn’t need to say anything at all . . . because Zack was staring at the woman with an almost starstruck expression.
    â€œLeona?”
    â€œ Jah . And you are Zack, right?”
    â€œI am.” His chest puffed up a bit.
    Leona smiled brightly. “I can’t believe that we ran into each other again. What a small world.”
    â€œWell, this is Pinecraft,” Zack replied. “It is a rather small world. I’m sure we’ll run into each other all the time. That said, I can’t believe you’re lending a helping hand again. First you helped me with Serena, and now here you were, just in time to help my sister.”
    â€œI’m glad I could give you that hand.”
    â€œThis is my sister Effie. Effie, this is Leona. She’s the girl who caught Serena last night.”
    â€œHi.”
    Leona inclined her head in a friendly way. “Nice to