CHAPTER 28Emma
The day came, the afternoon sky so white with sun it hurt Emma’s eyes to look at it. She and her sister sat together in the back seat, their father at the wheel. The ride felt long, with Friday traffic already clogging the roads, but at last Len pulled the van into a small parking lot. Stepping out of the air-conditioned cool of the car, the heat on Emma’s chilled skin felt wonderful, like a warm blanket draped across her. By the time they had crossed the parking lot, however, she could already feel perspiration tingling just beneath her skin, and she welcomed the rush of cool air as they entered the building. Inside, Emma stood blinking in the foyer, blinded by the dark of the lobby after the afternoon’s glare. When she could see again, she took in a row of upholstered cha
