Becky smiled as she put the plates she was holding in the dishwasher. “How did you break the plates?”
“I was emptying the dishwasher when I collided with Max, Todd’s Irish Wolfhound. By the time the plates landed on the ground, Max was nowhere to be seen.”
“I’ve seen how fast he can move. I’m surprised he didn’t knock you off your feet, too.”
“So was I. Mary’s enjoying herself.”
“She loves playing with Catherine and Toby. Thanks for inviting us to your ranch. We’ve both had a grand time.”
“It was great having you here. What are your plans for next week?”
Picking up the leftover pie, Becky slid it into the refrigerator. “I’m choosing a wedding dress for Ashley on Monday and then I’m off to see Tess at the Bridesmaids Club. At Happy Petals, I have the flowers for two weddings and a wedding anniversary to prepare.” She moved away from the refrigerator and wiped the counter with the dishcloth.
Something wasn’t right. Before he’d mentioned what she was doing next week, she’d been happy. Now, she seemed stressed. “If you don’t have the time to help with the dresses, I can do it.”
“It’s all right. Monday is our quietest day. Laura will be in the shop while I’m looking at the gowns.”
“When we were in the barn you looked sad. You don’t look much better now. What’s wrong?”
Becky’s bottom lip quivered. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“It might help.” Her face lifted to his and his heart pounded. A lifetime of sadness welled in the tears in her eyes.
“There’s nothing you can do.”
Becky was wrong. He crossed the room and opened his arms. “A hug is better than tears.” She stepped into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist. Whatever was wrong had destroyed her spirit and left her shaking.
Tightening his hold, he wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
When she wasn’t trembling as much, she stepped away. Taking a tissue out of her pocket, she wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She wiped her eyes again and took a shaky breath. “Mary’s grandmother wants her to live in Milwaukee with her. She’s asked a legal team to take away my guardianship. I don’t know why she’s doing it, but I have to fight it. I can’t let Mary live with her.”
“Have you spoken to a lawyer?”
Becky nodded. “Adam is working out what we need to do next. Mary’s going to see a therapist to see if she’s happy living with me. We don’t know whether she said something to Edith or if Jamie’s mom is doing the same thing she did after her husband left her.”
“What did she do?”
“She didn’t get custody of Jamie, so she went back to the courts until a judge finally gave her access. He hated staying with her. She was addicted to painkillers and was supposed to go into a program to wean herself off them. She did, but she fell into old habits. One day, she had an accident and nearly killed both of them. She promised she’d try harder, so Jamie went back to live with his dad for a year. But after the painkillers, it was alcohol. His dad died and, by the time he left home, he was completely messed up. It’s a wonder he wasn’t using drugs as well.”
“Does she still have addiction issues?”
“I don’t know. When Jamie was living with her, he said it was hard to know what she was doing. She never looked like an addict. She wore lovely clothes and was always immaculate. It was only when she ran out of drugs or alcohol that she was a different person. What if she hurts Mary?”
“A judge won’t let Mary live with her.”
“Adam said the same thing, but I’m still worried. Edith is coming to Bozeman next weekend. She asked if she could visit before we knew what she was doing.”
“That doesn’t seem right.”
“I thought the same thing, but Adam said it’s better not to stop her. He’s asked the therapist to stay with Mary to make sure she’s okay.”
Becky wiped more tears from her eyes. “Edith is the only biological family Mary has left. I thought if we made an effort to keep in touch with her, she wouldn’t want to take Mary away from me. Jamie and Sophia warned me this might happen, but they weren’t supposed to die.”
His heart broke for her. She was doing everything she could to give Mary a good life and it was all unraveling. “I’m sorry this is happening. Is there anything I can do to help?”
