Part 158 (1/2)

the future, and she told me you'd all meet in the elementary

school library-that you'd done it before, and though it was 246Melody Carlson

somewhat inconvenient and impersonal, it was better than

*nothing. Then, she told me the good news about Michael!”

Maggie nodded. ”Yes, isn't that wonderful? I hope he'll

accept the position.”

”Why, he already has. Rosa said that Sam spoke to him

for a long time on the phone last night, and Michael said that

* *he'd been praying about this very thing for the past several

days, and that he believes it is the right thing to do!''

”That's great. I'm so glad to hear it.”

”I was happy for him too. You know how he promised

my Stevie that he would be a missionary to Pine Mountain.

Wouldn't my Stevie be proud of him now?” Barbara was

beaming.

”I'm sure he'd be very proud.” Maggie wondered if the

news about Michael was to be the conclusion of Barbara's

story. Not that it wasn't good news, and it was fun to see

Barbara so happy, but she did have work to do.

Then Barbara continued. ”So, I sat down to have my

scone and my cup of peppermint tea, and suddenly it

*occurred to me that I still own a building in this town. It

belonged to my husband's family, but of course, it's mine

now. So, I finished my scone in a hurry-a shameful thing to

do with such a delicious treat as that-and then I walked on

over to take a look at that old building. And, oh my, but it