Then Marnie stepped in and kissed Zoey’s forehead, closed the door, and backed up to stand in the driveway, hands around her waist. She didn’t even bother to wipe her tears.
Keely pulled out and hadn’t gotten to the end of the block before she spotted Zoey’s lip quivering.
Oh no.
“Zoey. Do you ... like music?”
Zoey clutched her panda, buried her face in it.
At the stop sign, Keely picked up her phone, connected the car to Bluetooth, and pulled up her playlist. Clicked on herHeartstrings and High Notesalbum, because why not?
She’d written many of the songs while pregnant with Zoey.
“Okay, kiddo. Let’s sing.”
The voice came over the speakers, so much beauty and fear and angst and hope, and as they headed to the airport, Keely sang along, her voice husky beneath the upbeat tone of the music.
Heartstrings and high notes, let our music start,
Play on the chords that bind unknown hearts.
Reach out through the mystery where you and I might be,
In this dance of life, let’s find our harmony.
Zoey looked at her, still holding the animal. But she’d stopped crying.
Keely started in on the next verse as a text popped up on the screen. She waited until she stopped at a light, about to turn on 75 South, and opened it. Vic.
Just wanted to let you know that Wren took a turn. Her bowel perforated and she’s septic.
So much for the singing.
Keely wanted to cry now too.
But she swiped the text away, merged into traffic ... and kept singing.
Because that’s what mothers did.
They’d cleared three songs by the time she pulled into the international airport. She headed to the private charter area, and a valet met her there. Her Dassault Falcon sat on the tarmac, fueled, its black nose painted over a white body. She waved to her pilot standing in the doorway.
She hauled Zoey out of the back seat, and the valet retrieved the car seat, carrying it up the stairs to the plane. Keely grabbed the backpack. “Zoey, have you ever been on a plane?”
Zoey shook her head.
“This will be fun, I promise.”
But Zoey didn’t move.
And Keely knelt, met her eyes. “Listen. I know you’re scared. I am too. I don’t know how to be a mommy. But I do know that I’m going to try my very best. So, let’s not be scared together, okay?”
Zoey seemed to consider her for a moment, then nodded.
“Good. We’re going to get on the plane and then we’re going to a place called New York City.”
Zoey’s mouth tightened and Keely couldn’t help but gather her in for a moment, the child’s tiny body pressed against hers, molding there.
Another piece of Keely’s heart clicking into place.
