Sarasota Dreams by Debby Mayne

Grandpa’s foot lightly touched Mary’s beneath the table. As their gazes met, she saw how concerned he was for Grandma.
    Mary started to get up, but Grandpa motioned for her to sit back down. “Your grandmother and I have been talking….” He glanced over at his wife, who nodded for him to continue. “What happened to us the day you arrived was both tragic and joyful. We lost one daughter—for the second time—and gained a granddaughter we always longed to see. But the most tragic thing that happened was losing our daughter the first time—back when she found something she preferred over what we offered her.”
    “I–I’m sorry,” Mary said.
    “You shouldn’t be sorry,” Grandpa said with a forced smile beneath glistening, moist eyes. “You are the joy that came out of the sadness. We love you very much, and we want you to be as content as we are. The Lord has blessed us greatly.”
    Mary turned to Grandma for a check on her reaction, and she was surprised to see her also smiling. “Ya, we love you very much, Mary. I know I don’t always show how much—”
    “She knows you love her, Sarah.” Grandpa looked at Mary with his head tilted toward her. “We’re concerned about you, though. There is no joy in your life. All you do is go to the restaurant and then come home. We were hoping you and Abe … well, that maybe you two would hit it off.”
    “Abe is a fine man,” Grandma added. “He will take care of you, and you will always know you’re safe.”
    Mary looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever feel safe—no matter where she was or who she was with. Even here with Grandma and Grandpa, in her mind the safest place on earth, there were times she wasn’t sure she was wanted.
    Grandpa shifted in his seat, capturing Mary’s attention. “I know you have some painful memories, Granddaughter, and there’s nothing we can do about that except pray. But it’s time you learned to trust other people.”
    Mary nodded. “I trust both of you.”
    “Ya,” he said, “but you need to trust that the Lord has put Abe into your life for a reason.” He paused before adding, “And you need to trust Abe with your heart.”
    Mary knew Grandpa meant well, but it was easier for him to say than for her to take his advice. “I’d like to,” she whispered.
    “Let’s pray about this,” Grandpa said as he pulled one of her hands from the other. He reached for Grandma’s hand, and they all bowed their heads.
    After the prayer, Grandpa released her hand. Mary kept her eyes squeezed shut and silently added her own thoughts and feelings.
Lord, I want to be the woman You want me to be. Please show me the way, and I’ll try … no, I’ll make it my plan to do Your will
.
    When she opened her eyes, both of her grandparents had gotten up. Grandpa had left the room, but Grandma was over by the sink with her back turned toward Mary.
    “I’m washing the pot I left to soak after supper,” Grandma said.
    “Need help?”
    “No, I’m almost done.” Grandma dumped the water from the pot and dried it with the dish towel before putting it back in the cupboard. “I heard you talking to that little boy. Maybe someday you’ll have children of your own.”
    “Maybe.”
    Grandma sighed. “I would have had a houseful if I could. Your mama was such a cheerful little girl, I thought a dozen more just like her would be perfect.” She sniffled and wiped her cheek with her sleeve. “The Lord obviously didn’t feel I should have more children. When we lost Elizabeth, your grandpa and I felt like our breath had been taken away. Worldly living does that to so many people. I didn’t want her to go up to Cincinnati to stay with those girls. I was afraid she’d never come back. When she did, I was so happy, I sang all the time. Then …” She hung her head. “As each day passed, the light in your mama’s eyes faded a little bit more. I knew something was wrong, but until I