Free The Way to Yesterday by Sharon Sala Page A

welcome him with open arms.
    He glanced at his watch, making note of the time and hastening his steps. He
had a lot to do before school let out today and he didn't want to be late. It
was important to make contact several times before the day of the adoption.
Children were taught not to talk to strangers, but after a few innocent meetings,
his little angel would no longer view him as such.
    Mary was digging through the back of her closet when the phone began to
ring. Dropping the shoes she was holding, she backed out of the closet and
answered the call with a breathless hello. "Mary ...are you all right? You
sound like you're out of breath."
    'Daniel... Hi honey! I'm fine ... just made a dash for the phone."
    There was a note of censure in his voice. "You're supposed to be taking
it easy today but something tells me you're not."
    'I haven't done one worthwhile thing this morning," she said. "I
swear." His soft chuckle tickled her ear.
    'Then how about meeting me for lunch?" "Really? I thought you had
court."
    'Had it.. .still having it, but we're not due back for a couple of
hours."
    'What did you have in mind?" Mary asked. "We don't have time for
what's on my mind, but
    I'll settle for looking at your pretty face over shrimp scampi."
    Mary laughed. "Just tell me where to meet you. We'll worry about the
other stuff tonight."
    'It's a deal," Daniel said. "You know that little Italian place a
couple of blocks down from the courthouse?"
    She didn't, but wasn't going to tell him that. "Yes, just give me
enough time to call a cab."
    'Cab? What's wrong with your car?" Mary frowned. Another roadblock she
hadn't anticipated. She hadn't owned a car since the day she'd seen theirs go
up in smoke.
    'Uh ... I-"
    'Don't tell me you've lost your keys again," he teased. "There's
an extra set in the top drawer of the dresser. Just drive carefully,
okay?"
    'Uh... yes ... okay."
    'I'll get a table. Look for me inside."
    "I will."
    'Love you, honey."
    Mary shivered as his voice softened.
    'I love you, too. See you soon," she said, and hung up the phone.
    She picked up her purse, then stared at it a moment before moving toward the
bed. Impulsively, she turned it upside down and dumped the contents out onto
the bed. Even though she saw the ring of keys falling onto the bedspread, it
felt strange to accept the fact that they were there. Her hands were shaking as
she picked them up. If this was the heaven she'd been given, then she should
want for nothing. Okay.
    So she had a car. So what? She also had a husband and a daughter that she
hadn't had two days before. Anxious now to get to Daniel, she stuffed the
articles back in her bag and then hurried into the bathroom to put on some
makeup and give her hair a quick brushing. A few moments later she was on her
way out the front door.
    The unattached garage was about twenty-five yards to the right of the house
and she headed toward it at a trot. When she walked inside and saw the powder
blue Jaguar in the south stall, she couldn't help but stare in disbelief. She'd
never heard a preacher talk about a heaven like this, but she wasn't about to
question another blessing. She jumped into the driver's seat, started the
engine and backed out of the garage. Within seconds, she was out of the
driveway and onto the street, heading downtown toward the courthouse. The sun
was warm on her face and the wind tunneling through the partially opened window
played havoc with the hair that she'd brushed, but she didn't care. How could
anything as superficial as windblown hair matter when she had everything her
heart desired?
    *
    Hope O'Rourke's little backpack was bumping against her shoulders as she
marched out of the school toward the bus stops. Only Hope didn't ride a bus.
She had to stand in line with the kids who were picked up by their parents and
wait for the buses to leave. She craned her neck as she walked, looking for
Mrs. Barnes's bright blue van, but she didn't see it. Her steps slowed as she
sighed with