Read Online A Baby by Easter by Lois Richer - Free Book Online Page B

like a big kid enjoying the pleasures of life. That was exactly what he wanted for her.
    Wasn’t it?
    Unbidden, the image of Darla twirling in front of the store’s floor-length mirror in her red dress fluttered through his mind. Not a kid, a woman. He felt the intensity of a stare and caught Susannah looking at him.
    She was good for his sister. He didn’t deny that. But there were things in Darla’s life that were working, things that didn’t need changing. One of those was soccer.
    He urged them back to the car and drove Susannah to Connie’s, anxious to escape her probing questions and retreat to the normalcy of his home.
    But that night, when the house had quieted and there was no one to disturb his thoughts, David couldn’t dislodge Susannah’s warning from his brain.
    I hope you don’t regret it.
    â€œMaybe I’m not supposed to worry about things, Lord,” he whispered as he sat in the dark, watching stars diamond-stud the black velvet of the night sky. “But I am worried. She’s changing everything. What if Susannah’s wrong about Darla?”
    But what if she was right?

Chapter Five
    T his is wrong.
    It wasn’t the first time Susannah had thought those words as she stood in the church basement and watched Darla try to interact with the young girls in the club.
    It wasn’t that they were mean or did anything to Darla. In fact, they were most impressed with Darla’s new outfit and offered many compliments.
    The problem was Darla didn’t fit here and she knew it. The other girls were younger, faster and more nimble with their handicrafts. Darla tried, but only halfheartedly, and when her kite didn’t work out, she crushed it and threw it into the trash in a fit of anger.
    Susannah saw the glint in her eye and the set of her jaw and knew the girl was not happy. The ride home was tense. On an impulse she pulled into a park.
    â€œLet’s go for a walk,” she said.
    After they’d gone a short way, Darla stopped.
    â€œI hate girls’ club. I can’t do it.” She stamped her foot, caught Susannah’s eye and sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said, flopping onto the grass.
    â€œActually, I think you did very well at girls’ club, but maybe you’ve been there long enough,” Susannah mused,sitting beside her. Maybe here Darla would open up and speak of things she did want to do.
    â€œDavy likes girls’ club. He says it’s safe.”
    â€œI suppose it is safe,” Susannah said, striving to sound noncommittal.
    â€œIt’s for little kids. I’m not little.” After a few minutes Darla began talking about the bed of flowers nearby. She described each one.
    â€œYou know a lot about flowers.” Susannah’s mind had begun to whirl with ideas but she gave nothing away. She’d have to talk to David first, get his permission. And that would probably not be easy.
    â€œI like them. Flowers don’t make me feel stupid,” Darla muttered. Then her face brightened. “There’s the ice cream man. I love ice cream. Maybe they have pistachio. Can I get one, Susannah?” Darla begged.
    â€œI don’t know if I have enough cash. Maybe you should find out how much a cone costs first?” Susannah stayed where she was, swamped by a rush of tiredness as Darla raced across the grass.
    In a few minutes Darla came rushing back. Susannah held out her wallet and Darla counted out what she needed. It seemed a lot to Susannah. She’d been trying to save every cent she could for the baby but these little side trips were digging into that meager account.
    Still, it was worth it to see Darla’s proud face as she returned with two fudge bars.
    â€œOne for you and one for me.”
    â€œThank you.” Susannah took the bar, impressed again by Darla’s kind heart. “That’s very kind of you to share. Didn’t they have