Glory Alley and the Star Riders (The Glory Alley Series) (102 page)

Aunt Martha went back in, leaving the door open
, not waiting for Grandpa Kracker’s reply. The woman reminded Glory of a bee that flitted from flower to flower, always abuzz about something, and never staying on one subject for long.

Strains of holiday music wafted to their ears from inside the house
.

After a minute of absorbing the homey sights and sounds, and Aunt Martha’s news,
Glory
asked,
“
Did you ever see the
Elboni
Stone
, Gra
nd
pa?
”

“
Nope. But the old-timers used to say if you rubbed it the right way it'd bring
you
good luck.
”

“Aye,”
Glory
said
, chuckling.

"Eh?
”
Grandpa
titled his ear closer. “Come again?”

Mo
m
appeared at the doorway
,
directing them inside with a wooden spoon. “Hello,
Dad
. It’s
so
good to see you.”

Grandpa
nodded
.
“
Good to see you
too
, my
sweet and
lovely Rose. I hear congratulations are in order.
”

“
Thanks, Dad
.
Brrrr
.
” Mom hugged herself for warmth. “
It’s
so
cold out here
—how can you stand it?
” Her eyes landed on
Glory
in h
er
flannel shirt
.
“
W
here’s your coat
, Gwo-wee
?
”

Glory
’s
shoulders straightened
.
Only
George
called h
er
that
.
She
stared wide-eyed at
mom
’s
bulging
abdomen
.
“M
-m
om,”
s
he asked
.
“Why did you call me
Gwo-wee
?”

“Did I?”
Mom
giggled
.
“Must be the baby talking.”

Glory
’s
heart leapt
. She couldn’t
see
George
, but a
s
mile of recognition spread
from
one end of her face to the other.
Little brother
was already here
!

“Thank you, Great Elboni, thank you
.
”

She
flung h
er
arms around h
er
mother’s waist, hugging her tight.

“The baby,”
Glory
said with conviction
. “W
ill be a
boy
.”

Mom scratched her head
.
“You can’t know that
.
”
She
reasoned, gently peeling h
er
away
.
“
Nobody can
.
It’s too early.”

“Trust me, it’s like I already know h
im
,”
s
he persisted
.
“And h
is
name is
George
.”

“Hmmm,
George
.
That
was your great
great
grandpa’s name
—
feels
kinda
right
though,
like
a
puzzle piece snap
ping
into place.
”
Mom
smiled and kissed the top of
Glory’s
head. “I’
ll
hate to disappoint your Aunt Martha.”

“She’ll get over it
when
everybody
sees how perfect
he
is.
”

Glory
took
Mom’s
hand between h
er
own, leading her like royalty to
a
place at the table
,
where a feast with all the trimmings was waiting
.

Glory
lingered beside
t
he chair, watching in silence as t
he
whole
family
took their seats. Music, pleasant conversation, and laughter filled the room. And Glory’s
heart swelled with happiness because t
he
magic
of the
Elboni
was with them.

About The Author

C. Deanna Verhoff
grew
up
in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Number four
of five sisters, she remembers
a house full of drama, but mostly it was a lot of
fun.
Although her sisters live far apart, they talk to each other almost every day, and get together as often as possible. In
diana Univers
i
ty
is her alma mater and she’s worked in various jobs—including retail, teaching, business and finance.
W
riting
has been a hobby
of hers
for
as long as she can remember
.
Current
l
y,
she
lives
in rural
Ohio with her husband, two children, and
The Hunger Dog
, a black lab who will eat any
thing, including walls and ductwork.  

~
Once The Elboni Has You, It Never Lets Go~

STAY TUNED

Glory
wants to enjoy her new and improved life
,

but there
i
s
no rest for
the holder of the
Nightburner.

Glory Alley,
Book
Two

Cover Design by C. Deanna Verhoff.

May not be copied or reproduced in part or in whole without
permission
.

Release Date: To Be Announced

V
isit author’s website and blog
:

http://www.cdeannaverhoff.blogspot.com/#!http://cdeannaverhoff.blogspot.com/p/welcome-page.html

Or Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-Deanna-Verhoff/106424996172224

Also available,
Wakeland’s War
, by C. Deanna Verhoff: