Free Waking Up in Charleston by Sherryl Woods Page A

looked toward Reverend Webb for support. “Is that fair?”
    “I think so,” the minister said.
    “And the baby?” Mary Louise asked, her heart thumping unsteadily. “Will you want to see the baby?”
    Danny hesitated, his eyes filled with uncertainty. “I…I don’t know,” he whispered. “Can we decide that later?”
    The last shred of hope inside Mary Louise died. Their baby still didn’t matter to him, not the way it did to her. “Sure,” she said stoically. “Later’s good.”
    Maybe later her heart wouldn’t ache as if Danny had just stuck a knife into it.

5
    A manda’s backyard was crawling with people. Okay, there were only six adults besides herself, but the way the kids were scurrying around and getting in everyone’s way, it felt like more. Maggie had called Saturday morning and announced that she and Josh were coming by to help with the tree house construction and they were bringing Dinah and Cord, along with Josh’s mother, Nadine, and George Winslow.
    “I take it Caleb recruited you all,” Amanda said.
    “He mentioned it to Josh, who called Cord,” Maggie said. “I’m the one who decided the guys shouldn’t have all the fun. You, Dinah, Nadine and I can make curtains and stuff for Susie’s playhouse, which I gather is the next construction project. Something tells me these kids are going to be the envy of the whole neighborhood, if not most of Charleston. Our men must have had very deprived childhoods. They’re really getting into this. I haven’t seen Josh this excited about building something in ages.”
    “And you’re not as into it as he is?” Amanda teased. “It sounds as if you’re already working on an interior-design plan for the playhouse.”
    “It’s curtains,” Maggie protested. “I can whip those up with my eyes blindfolded.”
    “I can’t get over the fact that you sew, too,” Amanda said, feeling instantly inadequate. Maggie seemed to possess all sorts of skills Amanda didn’t have. She’d even worked right alongside the men on the construction of Amanda’s house.
    “In my world, little girls learned to paint and sew,” Maggie admitted. “Some of it took before I rebelled and learned how to use a hammer and saw. I much preferred playing with boys to doing sissy stuff with girls.”
    “I’m in awe.” Amanda’s father hadn’t pushed her to learn any of the so-called feminine pursuits. He’d steered her toward his own interests. Instead of a little patent-leather purse, he’d given her a custom-made miniature briefcase. She’d had to beg for a doll, and then he’d managed to custom order one dressed in a designer business suit.
    “I can barely hem the kids’ clothes, much less make something from scratch,” she told Maggie.
    Maggie laughed. “Hey, don’t get the idea I’m on a par with a professional seamstress. The curtains will be frilly and they’ll do the job. They won’t be perfect.”
    “Susie will love them no matter what,” Amanda said. “Now, what can I do for this gathering? It’s short notice, but I can whip up some hamburgers and potato salad for lunch.”
    “Not necessary,” Maggie said. “Caleb said he’d have that covered. He’s going to be running late, so he’ll bring lunch for the whole crew with him. And Nadine said she’d make some lemonade and pick up sodas.”
    A part of Amanda chafed at the generosity. Itsmacked of more charity. “I should be doing something,” she protested.
    “Paper plates and napkins,” Maggie suggested. “Or maybe once the guys get there, you and Susie would like to meet Dinah and me at the fabric store. Susie might like to choose the material.”
    Amanda declined. She’d wanted to make sure the house was spotless before her first impromptu party. She didn’t want any of these people to think she didn’t prize the home they’d built for her and couldn’t care for it properly.
    Of course, the men had barely spared the inside of the house a glance as they’d headed straight