Free A Heart Once Broken by Jerry S. Eicher Page B

the basement stairs. When she looked up and caught sight of Sandra, Rosemary gasped. Guilt filled her face.
    â€œWhat are you up to?” Sandra asked, in spite of herself.
    Rosemary turned an even deeper red and rushed up the stairs without an answer.
    Sandra’s thoughts were drowned out by a chorus from the men. “Oh, here we go. We’re getting something to eat after all.”
    â€œMen!” Sandra muttered loud enough for the whole table to hear. “You are so spoiled!” But the warmth of their welcome flooded through her.
    Clyde spoke above the noise. “And we are all such handsome dudes.”
    Sandra glared at him and unloaded her bowls one at a time. Once she was near Ezra, Sandra paused until he looked up. Sandra gave him her sweetest smile and handed him the last bowl of peanut butter. “Here, this is especially for you.”
    Ezra grinned. “My, I must be special.”
    â€œNot fair!” several boys protested. “This is our table, too, and we get no personal service.”
    Sandra kept on smiling. The men could tease all they wanted, but she had made her point and Ezra had gotten the message. She felt his gaze following her as she went back up the stairs. Why can’t Ezra just make up his mind? Sandra asked herself again. Her smile faded when Rosemary met her on the top of the steps with her tray full again, and Sandra held the door open for her. Rosemary still had a tinge of red on her cheeks, so Sandra stopped Rosemary with her free hand. “Just a second. What’s going on with you and the men down there?”
    Rosemary tried to smile. “I don’t know. I just felt like serving today, and…”
    Sandra gave Rosemary a steady gaze. “You know that’s not all the truth. You’re not yourself today. You’re…” Sandra let the sentence hang.
    Rosemary sputtered. “You don’t have to—I mean—it’s my personal life, okay?”
    â€œSo why are you down there?” Sandra persisted.
    Rosemary had blushed bright red again. “Look, I have to go, Sandra. They’re waiting.”
    Sandra removed her hand, but she didn’t like this in the least. She watched Rosemary hurry down the steps. But what could Rosemary be up to? This was Rosemary, after all. Sandra knew she ought to be offering help instead of feeling these tinges of jealousy. Rosemary couldn’t be after Ezra. That wasn’t possible. Ezra had always been perfectly satisfied with the attentions she and Lydia had paid him. He had no other need in his life with two such offers dangling in front of his face.
    So stop your worries, Sandra told herself. She refilled her tray and this time met Rosemary at the bottom of the basement steps. Rosemary had managed to compose herself and offered a smile. Behind them the men had quieted down, their mouths full of peanut-buttered bread.
    â€œI think with your tray they have all they need,” Rosemary said. “But I’ll check later.”
    â€œOkay.” Sandra stepped aside. So Rosemary had now taken charge. That was something new. Fear niggled at her again. Suppose Ezra wasn’t safe? A lot had changed in the last few weeks—none of which had bettered her position or Lydia’s. But still…Rosemary and Ezra?
    Sandra pasted on her brightest smile as she dropped off the bowls. “Coffee’s coming up,” she chirped. That was something Rosemary had forgotten, so she had the edge at the moment. But what a sorry state of affairs. Was she now competing with Rosemary? It didn’t seem possible.
    â€œHi, Ezra.” Sandra whispered near his ear. “I thought you might have gone to sleep.”
    Ezra chuckled. “With this excellent peanut butter lunch, how can somebody sleep?”
    â€œJust teasing.” Sandra moved on but gave Ezra another smile over her shoulder. He grinned back, just like in the days before Daett passed. Nothing had changed,