November Rain

Chapter 7

3 months later

Sandra has been working at the Riverside Diner for just a little over three months. She will be forever grateful to Holly for hiring her. Sandra thought that she had a target on her back to not be hired because of her lack of work experience. It turned out Sandra just needed to find the right employer who could understand why she had not been able to work for so many years. Holly Richards was a very open-minded and nonjudgmental person. Holly was the ideal boss in Sandra's eyes.

Sandra has been working at the diner from 8:00am-4:00pm. This shift was perfect for her. She didn't want Amanda to be alone at night. She trusts Elizabeth completely, but even Elizabeth has her own life. She can't babysit Amanda at all hours. Sandra was sure that Elizabeth was a miracle that was sent to her in this difficult moment in her life. Sandra is not really a religious person, but she was sure that Elizabeth Walsh was a sign that miracles do exist.

It was 7:30am and Sandra knocked on Elizabeth's door. Elizabeth opened the door and she smiled when she saw Amanda and Sandra.

"Good morning, Sandra and Amanda." Elizabeth said.

"Morning Elizabeth. I have to get going. Amanda, you be good to Ms.Walsh." Sandra said to Amanda.

"Sandra, you can call me Elizabeth. We have been over this. We're friends." Elizabeth pointed out the fact to Sandra.

"I will, mommy." Amanda promised. She was so excited to go in Elizabeth's house.

"Okay, bye sweetheart. I'll see you when I get home. Have fun with Elizabeth." Sandra bent down and hugged Amanda.

Amanda hugged Sandra. "I will. Have a wonderful day, mommy." Amanda said. It still amazed Sandra how well-mannered Amanda was. For a six-year old she was very mature.

#

"Miss Lizzie. What are we going to do today?" Amanda asked with so much enthusiasm.

"Well, first we will have breakfast and after that we can look through my magazines. How does that sound?" Elizabeth asked when she smiled at Amanda. She has never met a child like Amanda in her entire life. Amanda was a very intelligent and perceptive child. Sandra was a very lucky woman to have a child like Amanda. Elizabeth always wanted to have children, but she was never able to carry a baby to the full-term. She suffered three miscarriages. She was married to her husband John for 10 years before he passed away from cancer. After that she never wanted to try dating. No one could replace John. He was one in a million.

After she and Amanda finished their breakfast, Elizabeth went to her bedroom to find the magazines Amanda wanted to look at. She got to her living room and Amanda was nowhere in sight. Where did she go? Elizabeth wondered. She heard a noise coming from her room that she had converted into an office. She opened the door and Amanda was sitting on her chair behind the desk looking at a photo album.

"Sorry, Miss Lizzie. I should have asked." Amanda said while she looked down as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

"Amanda, it is fine. You didn't do anything wrong. You know that you can always look at anything you want in my house." Elizabeth reassured Amanda while she put the stack of magazines on her desk.

Amanda opened the photo album and she stopped on a page that showed a photo of Elizabeth with a very handsome man. Amanda couldn't stop looking at the photo. She turned to Elizabeth and asked, "Miss Lizzie. Who is that in the photo? "