Read Orphan Train Romance 1 - 5 for Free Online Page A
Authors: Zoe Matthews
grown and gone, and not one of them staying in Maple Grove.”
“Children do seem to do that, grow up and leave to live their own lives.” Amanda answered, knowing that was what she did after her mother died. She looked at Anna. “It is nice to meet you. Are you going to work in the store a lot?”
Anna started to answer, but Mrs. Davis jumped in. “She will yes, when she isn’t in school and such.”
Amanda kept looking at Anna to see if she felt slighted at being put to work so quickly after being taken in.
“I don’t mind, ma’am,” the girl answered her unspoken question. “I’ve never seen so many things in one place before.” She looked around in awe.
Amanda turned to her own children. “This is Jeremy and Grace.” She introduced them. “Children, this is Mrs. Davis who owns the store with her husband. Did you know Anna at the orphanage before you came here?”
Jeremy shook his head, but Grace nodded.
“I helped with Grace sometimes at the orphanage,” Anna explained.
“You mean you weren’t with Grace at the orphanage?” Amanda asked Jeremy.
“No,” he shook his head. “Most of the time they kept the boys separate from the girls.”
“How awful!” Amanda exclaimed. “They should have let your sister stay with you.” No wonder Jeremy was so insistent on keeping Grace with him.
Jeremy shrugged. “It was just the way it was.”
Amanda decided to change the subject. “I would like to purchase a few things for the children and some fabric. I can sew most of their clothes, but they still need some clothes right away.”
Soon a small pile of clothing and other supplies were on top of the counter ready to buy. Craig walked in and looked at the growing pile. Amanda was a little worried that he would say it was too much, but she planned to pay for part of it.
“Looks like you guys are having fun,” Craig said, smiling at Grace as she showed him her new shoes. Amanda sighed in relief at his words.
“We are just about finished.” Amanda placed the last bolt of fabric on the counter.
“Did you each pick out something fun?” Craig asked the children.
Jeremy looked confused. “Fun? What do you mean?”
“You can pick out something you want that has nothing to do with clothes.” Craig looked at Amanda, as if hoping she wouldn’t disagree with his orders.
“What a great idea,” Amanda said, smiling at Craig. “I should have thought of that myself.”
“But you are already buying us a lot of stuff. We don’t need anything else.” Jeremy protested. He had never owned so much before.
“Jeremy, come here,” Craig motioned to him. The boy stood before him as Craig put his hands on his shoulders. “This won’t happen every time we come to the store. But for today, because it is such as special day for all of us, you can choose something just for yourself.”
Jeremy’s eyes lit up as if he finally realized his new dad was serious. “Come on Grace, let’s see what we can find.” He took her hand and led her away, keeping his steps to match her slower ones.
Amanda smiled at Craig and then turned to Mrs. Davis. “I think we have everything we need for now. How much do we owe you?”
Mrs. Davis started writing everything down to figure out the cost. Craig pulled out a wad of bills and Amanda placed her hand on his arm.
“I am planning on paying for some of this,” she whispered. “I know it might have been more than what you were planning to spend.”
Craig scowled at her. “I will be paying for everything. I realize they need everything you picked out. I wouldn’t have had a clue what to get them. It’s why I asked you to do it.”
“But I do have some money and I can help,” Amanda argued. “Don’t you think we should be paying for their care
“Children do seem to do that, grow up and leave to live their own lives.” Amanda answered, knowing that was what she did after her mother died. She looked at Anna. “It is nice to meet you. Are you going to work in the store a lot?”
Anna started to answer, but Mrs. Davis jumped in. “She will yes, when she isn’t in school and such.”
Amanda kept looking at Anna to see if she felt slighted at being put to work so quickly after being taken in.
“I don’t mind, ma’am,” the girl answered her unspoken question. “I’ve never seen so many things in one place before.” She looked around in awe.
Amanda turned to her own children. “This is Jeremy and Grace.” She introduced them. “Children, this is Mrs. Davis who owns the store with her husband. Did you know Anna at the orphanage before you came here?”
Jeremy shook his head, but Grace nodded.
“I helped with Grace sometimes at the orphanage,” Anna explained.
“You mean you weren’t with Grace at the orphanage?” Amanda asked Jeremy.
“No,” he shook his head. “Most of the time they kept the boys separate from the girls.”
“How awful!” Amanda exclaimed. “They should have let your sister stay with you.” No wonder Jeremy was so insistent on keeping Grace with him.
Jeremy shrugged. “It was just the way it was.”
Amanda decided to change the subject. “I would like to purchase a few things for the children and some fabric. I can sew most of their clothes, but they still need some clothes right away.”
Soon a small pile of clothing and other supplies were on top of the counter ready to buy. Craig walked in and looked at the growing pile. Amanda was a little worried that he would say it was too much, but she planned to pay for part of it.
“Looks like you guys are having fun,” Craig said, smiling at Grace as she showed him her new shoes. Amanda sighed in relief at his words.
“We are just about finished.” Amanda placed the last bolt of fabric on the counter.
“Did you each pick out something fun?” Craig asked the children.
Jeremy looked confused. “Fun? What do you mean?”
“You can pick out something you want that has nothing to do with clothes.” Craig looked at Amanda, as if hoping she wouldn’t disagree with his orders.
“What a great idea,” Amanda said, smiling at Craig. “I should have thought of that myself.”
“But you are already buying us a lot of stuff. We don’t need anything else.” Jeremy protested. He had never owned so much before.
“Jeremy, come here,” Craig motioned to him. The boy stood before him as Craig put his hands on his shoulders. “This won’t happen every time we come to the store. But for today, because it is such as special day for all of us, you can choose something just for yourself.”
Jeremy’s eyes lit up as if he finally realized his new dad was serious. “Come on Grace, let’s see what we can find.” He took her hand and led her away, keeping his steps to match her slower ones.
Amanda smiled at Craig and then turned to Mrs. Davis. “I think we have everything we need for now. How much do we owe you?”
Mrs. Davis started writing everything down to figure out the cost. Craig pulled out a wad of bills and Amanda placed her hand on his arm.
“I am planning on paying for some of this,” she whispered. “I know it might have been more than what you were planning to spend.”
Craig scowled at her. “I will be paying for everything. I realize they need everything you picked out. I wouldn’t have had a clue what to get them. It’s why I asked you to do it.”
“But I do have some money and I can help,” Amanda argued. “Don’t you think we should be paying for their care