Katherine dried her hands and put an arm around her friend. “I understand,” she said softly. “And I’ll be praying.”

Sally returned her hug. “Thanks, Katherine.”

* * * *

“Welcome home!” Katherine flung her arms around Mrs. James as she came through the doorway.

“Oh, Dearie. I’m glad to be here.” Mrs. James wrapped Katherine in a motherly embrace before holding her at arm’s length and eyeing her closely. “Now, how are you? Tell me truly.”

“I’m fine. Really. It’s been like a roller coaster, but it seems like the scary bit is over with and now—oh, I have so much to tell you!”

“And how is the Captain?”

“He’s improving little by little. Serena’s still here, by the way, and wants you to visit.”

“Oh, that’s all very good news!”

“But you haven’t heard the rest of it.”

“The rest?”

"Auntie!" Sally ran out from the kitchen and into Mrs. James' outstretched arms. "We've missed you ever so much!" 

"And I've missed you—both of you!" Releasing Sally, she looked from one to the other. "Now, any chance of some tea while we get caught up?" 

"I'll go." Sally offered, beaming at her aunt. "You two just sit and relax." 

"Thank you, Sally. Katherine, let's sit by the window, and you can tell me all about the rest of the good news."

Katherine filled Mrs. James in on everything at the Harborside while Sally went off to make tea. After a while, the singing of the kettle brought up a new subject.

“How did Sally do?” Mrs. James said quietly.

“I haven’t been around much to watch how she was with the customers, but as far as I can tell, they seem pleased with her, and I’ve noticed a new sort of…something. Confidence, maybe. I don’t think she’s dropped anything in a week, and she’s standing taller and expressing herself better. She deserves a good day or two off, though, for all the hard work and extra hours she’s put in while I was at the Harborside.”

“Well, from all you say, it sounds like it was a difficult time, but God brought you both safely through it, and with good deal of growing to show for it.” Mrs. James smiled sympathetically.

Just then, Sally appeared, carrying the tea.

“I see what you mean, Katherine,” Mrs. James appraised her niece with delight. “Sally, I can tell already that you’ve done a good job while I was away, just by the way you carried that tray.”

“What? Just by that?” Sally raised her eyebrows and blushed in pleased embarrassment.

“Yes. You used to carry the trays tentatively, with your shoulders rounded forward like this—” she hunched herself forward to demonstrate. “But now you’re standing tall and the tray is neither shaking nor being dropped. You look exactly like you know what you’re doing.”

She stood and put her arms around her niece. “And what’s more, you have the air of one who’s discovered why she’s doing it.”

“Tell her about Rosie.” Katherine prompted as Sally sat with them.

“Oh, yeah. Well, she’d been acting different… sad, I suppose. Anyway, I’ve been looking for ways to be extra kind to her, and Katherine told me what kind of tea to give her.”

Mrs. James reached across the table and squeezed Sally’s hand. “I’m sure that took a good deal of humility to reach out.”

“I didn’t even get a chance to tell Katherine yet, but yesterday, Rosie stayed a bit longer, and ended up the only customer for a while. I brought her another cup of tea and made one for myself, and sorta plunked myself down at her table.”

“You did?” Katherine leaned forward, shocked at her friend’s boldness.

“I told her I could tell she’s been sad about something, and asked what it was.” Sally paused and took a sip of her tea.

“And did she tell you, Dearie?” Mrs. James asked gently.

“Yes. Trouble with her kids. Turns out it was just as you said. She just wants to be loved. Anyway I …well, I told her that I’d be praying for her—and I have been.”

Katherine and Mrs. James exchanged happy smiles across the table.

“I suppose that means we won’t have any more dramatic incidents in the tearoom.” Mrs. James chuckled. “I have to say I’m glad about that. And I’m so pleased to see how you both have grown during this difficult few weeks."

She reached out and took their hands in hers. "It’s a joy to come back and find you both still seeking out those ‘old paths’ and finding rest for your souls through all this turmoil. And now that I’m home again, I hope you can both take time to find rest for your bodies as well.”

* * * *

The next day, Katherine woke to the familiar sound of Mrs. James starting the morning baking. She nestled her head into her pillow as she listened, wondering how two people performing the same tasks the same way could sound so different from each other. Then, with a smile, she rolled onto her side and drifted back asleep.

* * * *

When Katherine woke again, she fully enjoyed the luxury of a slow morning. The Harborside didn’t open till ten that day, and, although eager to start planning for the museum, she took her time getting up and ready, spending extra time curled up in the window seat with her Bible.

When she finished reading her usual few chapters, she flipped back to the book of Jeremiah and found the verse that had become precious, not just for its promise, but for its reality in her life.

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, wherein is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.”

The words were so familiar by now, she could have recited them with her eyes closed. But as she read a new gratitude filled her heart, as she noticed how the verse ended.

“But they said, We will not walk therein.”

She suddenly realized how close she had come to missing out on the soul-deep rest she had found in God. At so many moments of decision, she could have chosen to go her own way, to do her own thing instead of letting God guide her—and everything would have been different.