Free Scrappily Ever After by Mollie Cox Bryan Page B

destroy those treasures—or vice versa.”
    DeeAnn bit into another cookie.
    â€œHow’s the new job going?” she asked after she swallowed her first bite.
    Sheila sighed. “So far, so good.”
    â€œHow’s Steve dealing?” Vera asked.
    â€œFine.” Sheila waved her hand. “I leave them food to heat up and they manage. I’ve only been once so far.”
    â€œOh good, I’d hate to run into him in the grocery store, sulking.” Annie smiled. “When you were on the cruise, I ran into him there. He hated being at the store.”
    â€œHe’s so spoiled,” Vera said and laughed.
    â€œThat’s crazy, Sheila. He can help you out more,” DeeAnn said.
    â€œI don’t mind,” she replied. “Right now, with Donna home, she helps out a lot.”
    â€œBut if you’re going to work, even if it’s mostly from home, he’s going have to pitch in,” Annie replied.
    â€œEarl would never go for that,” Paige said. “I gave up on that years ago.”
    The women settled into their scrapbooking even more. DeeAnn journaled, Paige trimmed a photo, and Vera was figuring out the placement of a photo.
    â€œWhat do you hear from your mother?” Annie asked Vera.
    â€œNot much,” Vera said. “She called when they landed in Paris. Then she told me not to bother them.”
    â€œWhat?” Sheila said.
    â€œYes,” Vera said. “At least I know they landed safely. They are staying with several different people while they’re there and she didn’t want to be disturbed. She said she’d call me when they are ready to leave. I think. Is that what she said? Or did she say she’d call when they get back to the States?”
    â€œI’m surprised you’re taking that so well. You’re used to hearing from her every day,” Annie said.
    â€œI miss her,” Vera said after a few minutes. “But you know, I don’t worry as much about her as I used to. Jon watches over her and I know if something happened . . . well . . . he’s there. So I am not freaking out about not hearing from her.”
    â€œWell, then, what are you freaking out about these days? There has to be something!” DeeAnn said and the other women laughed.
    Vera waved them off, and Sheila went back to musing over her friends gathered around the scrapbooking table—all of them intent on the work in front of them. Papers and books and embellishments were scattered around the table, along with cookies and drinks.
    Sheila’s thoughts turned to her daughter, Donna, who wanted to take the semester off from college. She needed a break—Sheila saw the weariness in her daughter. They were awaiting word to see if her scholarship would be affected by her taking time off. They should hear back any day now, since the semester would be starting soon. Sheila said a little prayer while she looked over the laptop at her friends.
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    The next day, Paige received a phone call from her son Randy.
    â€œI have news, Mom,” he said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI have a job interview.” They had been talking about his dissatisfaction with his current job as a pastry chef and his life in New York City. He’d broken up with his boyfriend of many years, and wanted to start anew somewhere else.
    â€œFor a cruise line? I know you were talking about that,” she said.
    â€œNo,” he said. “For Pamela’s Pie Palace.”
    Paige gasped and tears pricked at her eyes. Was it true?
    He continued. “They are expanding into other pastries and need someone to help out with it, along with making pies, of course.”
    â€œI’m sure you’ll get the job,” Paige said.
    Was it true? Could it be? Could her son be moving back home? She was afraid to hope for too much.
    â€œDon’t be too sure,” Randy said. “I’m sure the competition is fierce. The pay is good for the