She hadn’t been aware that they had taken in another foster child. If Willa was concerned enough to ask her about the Wests, then she would have expressed those concerns to her husband. If Will still lived in town, she would have talked to him about the Wests taking another foster child. After she’d gotten over her anger, she’d finally confessed to Will she didn’t want to be with Lisa and Dalt. Though, even if he were still in town, she knew he’d give her the same explanation now as he’d given her then—that without proof the Wests weren’t fit to be foster parents, there was little he could do. At least, as close as they lived to the police station, he had kept an eye on them and wait for them to screw up. They hadn’t.
“I know what that’s like. I never measured up to my mother’s standards.”
“You? I can’t believe that. You’re perfect. You’re sweet, kind, and you try to help everyone. I wish I were more like you.” Ginny sincerely meant it. Willa treated everyone as if they were her friend. She was the ideal pastor’s wife. She hoped one day to live up to the standards that Willa lived every day. Unfortunately, she would never make a pastor’s wife. She wasn’t as good at turning the other cheek as Willa was.
“Go get us some lunch at the diner while I finish the order. I’ll take a chicken sandwich and a salad.”
Ginny took the twenty Willa handed her.
“Buy yourself lunch, too. I noticed you didn’t eat any yesterday,” Willa said, giving her a wink. “You can give your notice while you’re there.”
Ginny happily grinned back. “I’ll wait until I get our food, then tell them.” She was practically skipping on air as she left Willa counting boxes.
Her good humor lasted until she was leaving the diner and passed Lisa West, who stood at the entry door. She was alone, dressed as if she were worth a million bucks. As they passed, neither spoke, ignoring each other as if they were complete strangers.
Giving her order to Carly, Ginny went back to the kitchen to give her notice to Toby. The easygoing manager wasn’t upset.
“I’ll dig up the Help Wanted sign from the office. At least you gave me notice. The last one just threw her apron at me after Carly took one of her tables.”
Relieved Toby wasn’t upset, she spent a few minutes listening to him complain about the arthritis in his wrists as he made her order.
“You’ve been flipping too many burgers,” she said, sympathizing with him as she made her and Willa’s salads. When the sandwiches were done, she bagged her own order before going to the register to pay.
Returning to the church, she found herself unexpectedly alone. Setting their lunch on the counter, Ginny went to the window and saw Willa’s van was gone. Taking out her cell phone to call Willa, she reached out to the boxes of cupcakes that were still there.
Biting her lip worriedly when the call went to voicemail, she then dialed Pastor Dean’s number when she heard the sound of a police siren going through town. Even more worried, she decided to clean the kitchen and look at the delivery orders for the cupcakes. By then, Willa still hadn’t come back or returned her call.
Looking at her watch, she saw it was almost time for her shift at the diner, so she decided to deliver the cupcakes to the Silver Slipper restaurant. She was lifting the stacked boxes into her arms when her cell rang.
“Pastor, thank you for calling. Have you seen Willa—”
“She’s with me at the hospital.”
“What happened …?” Visions of losing Leah had Ginny gripping the counter in panic.
“She has a dislocated shoulder. She’s being treated now.”
“How? She was here when I left to get lunch!”
“Willa will give you a call as soon as she’s able.”
“All right … I was leaving for the day. Should I drop off the order that she was working on?”
“I’m sure she will appreciate it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.”
“I will.”
Ginny shakily disconnected the call. It took her a few minutes to gather herself before she lifted the cupcake boxes into her trembling hands. Losing Manny, then her dad and Leah had shown her how fragile life was.
Upset that Willa had been injured while she was at the diner had her looking around the kitchen, trying to figure out how her boss got hurt.
After delivering the cupcakes to the Silver Slipper, she drove to the diner. Grabbing her uniform from the back seat, she hurried inside, and changed in the restroom. Tugging her light brown hair into a ponytail, she left the bathroom to begin her shift.
Carly, who she was relieving, gave her a nasty look before reaching under the counter for her purse. “Funny, you haven’t been late since you started working here, but the day you give notice, you’re late.”