But each time the girls clung to her hand and whispered, “Mama Emily,” she chose love over doubt.

The Sound of an Engine

One evening, Emily sat in her small wooden chair, sipping tea after a long day. Suddenly, the rumble of an engine echoed down her quiet street. She frowned. Fancy cars never came through this poor neighborhood.

The sound grew louder until a polished black SUV appeared, gleaming under the streetlights. Emily’s heart skipped a beat. She had never seen such a vehicle stop anywhere near her home. The SUV slowed to a halt right in front of her weathered house, and her hands trembled as she set her teacup down.

The driver’s door opened. A tall man in a suit stepped out and quickly opened the back doors. Four young women stepped out gracefully, dressed with elegance, their eyes sweeping over Emily’s little home.