Once Upon a Winter's Heart by Melody Carlson Read Free Book Online Page A

Nona seemed to appreciate it too.”
    â€œThanks for helping with her, Emma. That takes a load off my mind.”
    â€œI’m happy to.” Emma nodded toward the kitchen. “I hope you and Mom can talk this thing out now that the funeral is behind us.”
    He shrugged. “Not sure she wants to talk.”
    Emma frowned. “Well, I better go. I don’t want Nona thinking she’s been abandoned.” As Emma went for her coat, she hoped that her dad wouldn’t figure out that she planned to walk to Nona’s. She didn’t want to give him any excuse to keep avoiding his wife. The sooner she got out of here, the better their chances for talking this thing through.
    She hurried out the front door and down the driveway. The afternoon air was cold and crisp, and she hastened her pace in hopes of getting warm. She hadn’t walked this route for years. Probably not since high school, and even then she usually rode her bike. But it felt good to walk today—the cool air seemed to help clear her head. She was just at the foot of the hill when she heard a car pull up beside her. To her dismay she realized it was her mom’s Cadillac.
    â€œHop in,” Saundra called out to her.
    Emma considered insisting upon walking, but knew how stubborn her mother could be. “Where are you headed?” she asked as she closed the door and reached for the seatbelt.
    â€œWhere do you think?”
    â€œMom,” Emma said in exasperation. “Why are you doing this?”
    â€œBecause your father is a total jerk.”
    â€œDid you even try to talk to him?”
    â€œIt’s pointless, Emma.” Saundra stopped at the stop sign. “And if it’s all the same to you I’d rather not talk about it.”
    â€œThat’s fine with me.” Emma turned to look out the side window.
    â€œI noticed you talking to Lane,” Saundra said lightly. “What do you think of your sister’s beau?”
    â€œHe seems like a very nice man.”
    â€œYes. We all like him.”
    â€œHow long have they been together?”
    â€œTogether?”
    â€œYou know, as a couple…how long?”
    â€œWell, I’m not sure they’re officially a couple yet.”
    â€œRight…” Emma remembered her mother’s concern about Anne’s divorce and not rushing into anything. Keeping up appearances.
    â€œAlthough Valentine’s Day is coming up…maybe Lane will ask Anne out.”
    â€œMaybe…” Anne wondered how Tristan would feel about his mother dating someone who wasn’t his father. “So…why did Gerard and Anne break up?”
    â€œYou know as well as anyone, Emma. Gerard took that job in Florida and Anne didn’t want to uproot Tristan.”
    â€œThat’s never made sense to me. I mean if you love someone…if you’re committed to them…wouldn’t you stay together through thick and thin? Isn’t that what marriage vows are all about? For better or worse, sickness and health, richer or poorer?”
    â€œYou’ve always been such an idealist, Emma.”
    â€œMaybe so…but I don’t get why Anne had to be so stubborn about leaving. It seems like she’d like Florida. I mean she loves summer.”
    â€œShe’d just started working at the Hummingbird when Gerard got offered the job. And Tristan was doing so well in school. He’d had such a rough time in first grade. Besides that, Anne had just redecorated the condo. I completely understand why Anne didn’t want to give up everything to move to Florida.”
    â€œBut I thought the Florida job was just going to be temporary,” Emma reminded her. “Just a year or two. I understood that Gerard was being trained by the corporation so that he could work in any insurance agency, including here.”
    â€œWell, he’s been there nearly two years already,” Saundra pointed out. “And it doesn’t