Emily
The tires of the car crunched over the gravel of the Black family driveway. The engine died and I let out a deep breath, one I felt like I’d been holding for weeks, and stepped out into the afternoon sun.
Before I could even smooth the wrinkles from my blouse, the front door opened.
Mrs. Black stood in the doorway. For a heartbeat, her expression was polite, and then her eyes focused on me. Her face broke into a genuine and relieved smile immediately.
“Emily!” she exclaimed, she moved quickly, her steps light, and before I could utter a greeting, she had enveloped me in an embrace.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” she said, pulling back to cup my face in her hands, her eyes searching mine. “This is a wonderful surprise.”
I managed a smile, my own tension beginning to ebb. “I had som
