Free The Friendship Star Quilt by Patricia Kiyono, Stephanie Michels Page A

the flags right away.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, but the name is Brad, remember?” he said, taking his daughter’s hand. “And I’m the one who should thank you. You’ve taken one huge task off my never-ending To Do list.”
    He held out his hand to his daughter. “Come on, Princess. I’d better get you to school before we’re both late.”
    When the pair waved and headed out to their car, Anne stood at the window and watched them drive away. As she returned to her tasks, she realized how empty the shop seemed with them gone.

Chapter Eight

    â€œDoes seeing the quilt shop lady make you happy?” Jennie asked on the drive to her school.
    Brad glanced up at the rearview mirror and found her watching him from the back seat. Her blue eyes regarded him solemnly. “What do you mean, Princess?”
    â€œYou’re humming to the radio,” she replied. “You don’t do that unless something makes you happy.”
    â€œWell, Miss Anne offered to sew the flags I need for the band,” Brad explained, marveling at his daughter’s perceptiveness. “It’s a very big job, and I’ve been worried I wouldn’t be able to get them made in time for the parade next month. So, yes, sweetheart, I guess I am happy.”
    â€œThat’s good. I don’t like you to worry. I think it gives you those headaches you always get, Daddy,” she replied, suddenly sounding as wise as his Aunt Bonnie. “Our teacher says smiling makes a person feel better.”
    â€œYour teacher is right,” Brad said. He turned into the grade school lot just as one of the busses arrived. He parked near the front entrance then got out of the car to open Jennie’s door. “Tell you what, Princess. I’ll try to remember to smile more, okay?”
    â€œOkay,” she agreed and gathered up her backpack. She gave him a quick hug when she slid from the car then pointed to the bus. “Look, Daddy. Callie and Bethanie just got off the bus, so you don’t have to walk me inside, I can go with them.”
    Brad nodded. “I’ll pick you up right after school tonight so we can go grocery shopping. Have a good day, Princess.”
    â€œSee you tonight!” she called then ran to catch up with her two best friends.
    Brad waited until the three little girls were safely inside the school building before getting back into his car. Driving to the high school, he caught himself humming again.
    He’d been honest when he’d answered Jennie earlier. He was relieved to have the pretty little clerk at The Stitching Post offer to make the band flags for him. It would be nice to cross something off his seemingly endless To Do list. He still had way too many items left on it. Life would be so much simpler if he had an ordinary teaching job. But his role as the school’s band director forced him to wear a lot of different hats: teacher, consultant, program developer, music director, choreographer… the list went on and on. He taught the kids music from the time they picked up their first instruments in elementary school until they graduated from high school.
    An assistant would ease his busy schedule, but money was too tight in the school district’s budget right now to add any more personnel. So, everything fell on Brad’s shoulders. Most days, he ran between the high school, grade school, and middle school for music classes. Then it was back to the high school building for band practice after school. In addition to the teaching, Brad helped the kids decide on suitable instruments, making sure they selected the proper one for their age and size. He issued uniforms to his junior high and high school band members and ensured they were suitably altered and dry cleaned. He worked with the parents’ group to coordinate fund-raising and arranged transportation to the various band competitions and performances. Some days, he felt like he was