“And you know this how?” Linx jerked her face and narrowed her eyes, despite the pain, staring straight into her mother’s eyes—the ones that mirroredhers.
“Why are you so distrustful?” Minx stood. “I came to see you because Joe asked me to. Now, don’t get any ideas that we’ll ever be mother-daughter.”
“Do you hate me because of my realfather?”
“I don’t hate you.” She bent over so close, Linx thought she’d kiss her through the face mask. Instead, she whispered, “I left because I would only have abusedyou.”
“Then I forgive you, and we can startover.”
“No. I am old, and I can’t change. I’ll leave a sculpture for you next Christmas.” She kissed the air between them. “Goodbye.”
* * *
“How’s she doing?”Mark and Jean Patterson asked Grady when he entered the hospital cafeteria forbreakfast.
“Much better.” Grady picked up a plate of sausage and eggs from the grill. “She’s in a lot of pain, but able to stay awake for longer periods. Her mother came by to seeher.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Jean asked, wringing her hands. “I can’t believe Salem impersonated Linx’smother.”
“That’s what happens these days when people rely on text messaging,” the pastor said. “You never know who you’re talkingto.”
“But the voice must have been different, although Salem was good at impersonating people.” Jean put a small dish of Jello on her tray, topping it with fresh blueberries. “I should have been suspicious when she did the Easter skit and played the part of so many of Jesus’s disciples, each with a differentvoice.”
“Was Salem the fairy godmother Jessie spoke about?” Grady’s eyebrows shot up and a chill slithered up hisspine.
“The police have a child psychologist working with Jessie to figure it out, but as far as we know, Salem was a sweet member of our congregation and she did a lot of babysitting,” the pastor said. “All the children and parents loved her and no one can believe she didthis.”
“What if Linx’s mother framed her?” Jean collected two cartons of chocolate milk, putting one on the pastor’stray.
Grady scratched his head. “She has an alibi. The police checked it out. The person Linx was speaking to on the phone wasSalem.”
“True,” Jean agreed. “I guess we have to be more careful who we allow to work in the churchnursery.”
“I’m putting together a new policy,” Pastor Mark said. “New members cannot work in the nursery and we must have two adults present at any given time. One must be a member for more than fiveyears.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Jeansaid.
They paid for their meals and found a small roundtable.
“We’d like to speak to you and Linx together, if possible,” Pastor Mark said after sayinggrace.
“Yes, we are ever so grateful for the two of you saving Jessie’s life,” Jeanadded.
“Linx did all of it,” Grady said. “Both of us would give our lives forher.”
“We know you would,” Pastor Mark said. He shook salt and pepper over his eggs and dug in, avoiding Grady’sgaze.
“Yes,” Jean replied, but she lookedworried.
They ate in awkward silence, as Grady wondered how he should proceed. On the one hand, Becca had assured him that a judge would hear the case once he had a positive paternity test, but the grace period for the adoption had expired longago.
It wasn’t fair, and even though he’d forgiven Linx, it still burned that he’d essentially had no say on who would raise hisdaughter.
That moment when he thought he’d lost both Linx and Jessie was seared in his soul. He’d never experienced such raw fear, such paralyzing terror, and then the utter blessedness of sweet relief when he found Jessie and the puppy alive and unharmed under Linx’s protectivebody.
She’d taken the brunt, protected them with her back on fire, and she’d kept the fire shelter over them tightly, despite the pain raging over her everynerve.
Linx had fought to keep Jessie alive. She’d done the heavy lifting, and now Grady had to do his part—take the pain in his heart to let Jessie thriveemotionally.
