“Upsetting her granddaughter is the last thing Edith would want. She knows how much Mary loves you.”
“I don’t think she does.” Turning her laptop to her sister, Becky waited until Molly read the attachment. “What should I do?”
“Edith is a good woman. Her wishes may not be as black and white as the document suggests. Why don’t you call your lawyer? Adam will know what to do.”
“What if she won’t change her mind? She’s Mary’s grandmother and I’m only—”
“There is no such thing as ‘only’,” Molly said sternly. “Jamie and Sophia knew no one would love their little girl as much as you do.” Her hand tightened around Becky’s arm. “They believed in you and so do I. Tomorrow, we will visit Adam and see what he thinks about the letter.”
Becky’s stomach churned. “What if it’s as bad as I think it is?”
“Then we’ll find a solution.Youare Mary’s legal guardian. It won’t be easy to change what has been set in place.”
Becky bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. “I love Mary as if she were my own daughter. I can’t let her go.”
“We’ll do everything we can to keep her here.”
With Molly holding her in a fierce hug, Becky closed her eyes. She didn’t know why Edith wanted to contest her guardianship of Mary. It was cruel and unkind to want her to live in Milwaukee when she was making such good progress.
As if sensing her distress, Molly stood her at arm’s length and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Remember what Gran taught us. Love doesn’t follow a straight line. There will always be forks in the road and mountains to be climbed. As long as we stand firm on the reason Mary came to live with us, everything will be all right.”
With all her heart, Becky hoped so.
Chapter6
Osborne and Sons was one of the founding legal firms of Bozeman. As Becky stood outside the red-brick exterior of the single-story building, she remembered meeting Adam here a few days after she’d brought Mary home.
Last time, the grief of saying goodbye to two of her best friends and the enormity of what she was about to do had weighed heavily on her mind. Today, she was terrified of what the future might hold.
“I hope you like blueberry muffins,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Becky jumped and caught the squeal that rose to her lips. “Adam! For such a tall man, you move far too silently.”
Holding two brown paper bags in the air, he sent her a charming smile. “I’m hoping you’ll take pity on me and join me for coffee and blueberry muffins.”
“My nerves are churning my stomach but, if you have good news for me, I’ll gladly join you.”
“Let’s see what I can do, then.” Opening the front door, Adam placed one bag on the counter beside his receptionist, then walked with Becky toward his office. Once they were inside, he waved her toward a chair. “I read the document you sent through. How well do you know Mary’s grandmother?”
“I know her enough to worry about the intent of her email. She misses her son something fierce. A part of me wonders if she sees Mary as a way of keeping Jamie’s memory alive.”
“Has she told you she’s worried about the way you’re looking after Mary?”
Becky shook her head. “She’s never said she’s concerned. We call Edith twice a week and send her pictures Mary’s made. I don’t know what else I could do to involve her in Mary’s life.”
“Does Mary speak to her when you’re not present?”
“Sometimes. Do you think she said something to her?”
Adam sat back in his chair. “It’s a possibility and something we need to consider. Before we speak to Edith and her lawyer, I’d like to ask a therapist I know to speak to Mary. She might be able to tell us how Mary feels about living with you.”
Becky didn’t know whether that made her feel better or worse. “What if she doesn’t like being here?”
“Do you think it’s a possibility?”
“Most of the time, she is a happy, well-adjusted six-year-old. But, sometimes, she misses her parents terribly and feels lost and alone. We’re finding ways to make those times less traumatic, but it isn’t easy.”
“Mary has been through a lot in her short life. The therapist will understand how she’s feeling. If it’s okay with you, I’ll make an appointment for Mary after we’ve spoken.”
