Hope Springs by Kim Cash Tate Page B

can make. And what better time to praise God than ringing in the New Year. But Calvary doesn’t have service tonight, so . . . here I am.” Sara Ann smiled and shrugged, then her brow creased. “And I wouldn’t have known about Grandma Geri if I hadn’t come. Is she scheduled for surgery?”
    â€œShe’s not a candidate for surgery—it’s too advanced. But she starts chemo on Monday.”
    â€œOh, wow. I’d like to pray with her.” Sara Ann glanced toward the front of the church. “She’s got a crowd around her right now. I’ll drop by tomorrow.”
    â€œThat sounds great, Sara Ann,” Janelle said. “I know she’d appreciate it.”
    Kory thought about what she’d said as Sara Ann left. “So your grandmother’s chemo starts Monday? That must be hard for you . . . I assume you have to head back to Maryland this weekend?”
    Tiffany wheeled around with a puzzled look. “But we just got here.”
    Now Kory looked puzzled.
    â€œI decided to stay with Grandma and help take care of her for a few months,” Janelle explained. “We went home and packed up more stuff.”
    â€œThat’s awesome, Janelle. You’re really something.”
    â€œIt’s not as selfless as you might think. I thought the change of scenery might be good for me.”
    It was dawning on him. “So we’re practically neighbors.”
    She allowed a slight smile. “That kinda sorta crossed my mind as well.”
    â€œAnd you know what else that means?”
    â€œWhat?”
    He stepped closer to the girls and held a finger atop each head, pointing downward. He whispered, “These two are practically neighbors.”
    She whispered back, “I wonder if they know.” Janelle moved between them. “Tiffany, Dee, did you know you live near one another now?”
    Dee’s eyes got wide. “You live here now?” She turned to her father. “Daddy, can I spend the night at Tiffany’s? I’ve never had a sleepover before. Please, Daddy?”
    â€œWhoa, sweetheart.” He looked into her pleading eyes. “Tiffany won’t disappear tomorrow. You’ll have plenty of time to play with her.”
    â€œBut I want to go to her house tonight .”
    Kory gave her the look. “Dee, no whining. It’s late and we’re heading home.”
    Janelle moved closer to him and spoke so only the two of them could hear. “She’s welcome, you know. She’s never done a sleepover?”
    â€œNever.”
    â€œYou trust her with us?”
    â€œCome on, Janelle.” Kory would trust her with his own life. “But she has no clothes or anything.”
    Janelle gave Dee a once-over. “Looks like she’s wearing clothes to me.” She smiled. “Let her go with us.”
    â€œYou’re sure?”
    â€œPositive.”
    He approached Dee with a grave expression. “Miss Janelle just informed me—now don’t get upset or anything—that it’s okay for you to go home with them tonight.”
    Dee flung her arms so tight around his waist he was knocked a step back. “Oh, Daddy, thank you, thank you!” She looked back at Janelle. “Thank you, Miss Janelle.”
    He felt the moment to his core. He’d come tonight to coat the pain, but God had given so much more—that sparkle he saw right now in his daughter’s eyes. He’d been praying for a friend for Dee, and never in a million years would he have thought it would be the daughter of Janelle. He couldn’t ask for a better influence. And that he might see Janelle more often because of their daughters’ friendship . . . He could think of worse things.

CHAPTER TWELVE
Friday, January 1
    S tephanie leaned back with a big sigh. “So that’s my deal in a nutshell.”
    She’d arrived in Hope Springs a couple of hours earlier, and though she was curled up on the