“My apologies.” Mrs. Gibbs stopped in front of Emma. She hesitated. “Emma, I
suppose the name was?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I do apologise for my granddaughter. I have no idea where she gets her manners
from.”
“Ma’am, there’s no need to apologise. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her company.”
But Mrs. Gibbs had already grabbed Nadine by the wrist and pulled her off the seat.
Then she turned to Emma again.
“I need someone to look after Nadine this afternoon. Who would be the best one to contact here in the hotel to organise this for me?”
Emma was a bit stumped by the question. She stared at Teresa Gibbs, feeling somewhat intimidated by her. Mrs. Gibbs glared like her old English teacher from seventh grade. She had the same kind of hair, which probably used to be black and had now faded into grey tied up in a bun. Her face read like a map of her past, maybe a hard life or simply exhaustion. Her grey eyes had dulled with age, lifeless and hollow, and her
mouth was drawn tight as if a polite word had never crossed those lips. Not to mention her clothes, which Emma thought were older than Emma herself.
“Well I suppose the receptionist, which will be me in about fifteen minutes.”
“Can I leave this in your capable hands to organise?”
“Well… I suppose… I mean… that’s a new one for me, but I suppose, yes.”
Mrs. Gibbs grew impatient. “Emma, is that a yes or no?”
“It’s a yes, ma’am,” Emma replied slightly embarrassed, yet with more confidence this time, even though she had no idea how to handle this request.
“Thanks, Emma. I would need someone between one and two-thirty.” And with that, she left. Emma quickly gave a little wave to Nadine before she was out of her sight.
Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody. With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do.
4 stars – NEW BEGINNINGS is a very emotional read, one that is heartwarming as well as heart wrenching. It gives you hope in the act of human kindness and that good things do happen to good people. I highly recommend this book.
Ah, the challenges of little girls and bossy women!
LOL … exactly 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Chris.
This woman thinks babysitting is part of a receptionist’s job description? Tsk, tsk.
I know 🙂 .. LOL. Thanks for stopping by, Ed.