Page 51 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
“I’m almost certain I’m not married.” Except how could she be so sure when she didn’t know who she was?
The conversation ended with Annie coming around the house with Evan in tow. The two little boys began to play together.
“I’ll leave you young ladies to visit and enjoy the sunshine. I have things to take care of.” Gram went inside.
“I should help,” Emily said, but she didn’t follow.
“Like she said, let’s enjoy the sunshine.” Annie went to the bench Emily had shared with Jesse and patted the spot beside her. “Jesse told me about your visit to the doctor. I’m sorry there wasn’t better news.”
All the turmoil and uncertainty escaped in a rush of words. Finally, she slowed. “It’s so unsettling.”
“I can’t imagine. Jesse said the doctor told you not to dwell on it, so let’s talk about something else.”
Emily gave a weak grin. “I have little else to talk about, seeing as I don’t remember my past.”
Annie chuckled. “That’s okay. I can talk enough for the two of us.” She proceeded to do so, regaling Emily with stories of growing up with three older brothers, the pain of losing her mother, and then the fun of watching her brothers court the women they married. “My best friend, Carly, recently married, too.”
“And so did you.” Emily laughed. “Maybe they should change the name of the town to Wedded Bliss.”
Annie chuckled and got to her feet. “It’s time for me to leave.”
“Thanks for visiting. I needed to talk.”
She grinned. “Seems you mostly listened.” She collected Evan, and they departed.
Emily took Mikey and the dog inside. “Gram, I need to be busy. What can I do?”
Gram studied her a moment. “Very well, right after dinner, I am going to my sewing room. There are things there you can do.”
After they’d eaten, Gram led the way. “I don’t know if anyone told you, but I am one of the seamstresses in Bella Creek. In fact, I am the best. I have as much work as I can handle and often turn down requests.”
“And I’ve been keeping you from your work.”
“Not at all. I did some work while you were out.” She pointed out the projects she had under way. “I don’t know how good you are, so I’ll start you out on easy things. Here are the buttons for this shirt. Can you sew them on?”
Emily sat and took up the task. It felt familiar. Of course, she would have sewn on buttons before. But as she cut the thread and attached them, she knew it was more than that.
She willed the memory to return, but she found nothing but black emptiness.
“These are done. What else do you have I can do?”
Gram examined the buttons. “Very neat. How do you feel about hemming a skirt?”
“I can do that.” She spent the next hour doing so, and Gram looked at the finished project.
“I couldn’t have done better myself. Let’s see if you can set the sleeves in this shirtwaist.”
“I know I can.” They spent the rest of the afternoon sewing, taking the work out to the yard so they could supervise Mikey playing.
“That’s enough for the day.” Gram folded up the dress she was making and waited for Emily to do the same.
Emily returned the garment to the sewing room and paused to look out the windows. When would Jesse return? What news would he bring?
Gram joined her. “He might not be back for supper. If he’s on their trail, he’ll stay on it until he finds them or can no longer track them.”
“Don’t you worry about him?”
“I try not to. He’s smart and careful, and when I get to fussing, I remember God can see him and is better able to take care of him than I.”
