“Don’t move.” After a few seconds, Emily waved him toward him the sidewalk. “It’s safe to leave.”
Flipping the bag in half, he stepped onto the sidewalk and hurried toward his truck. “Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome. If you need anything else, call me.”
“I will.” Before anyone saw him, he slid the dress into the truck, reversed out of the parking space, and drove out of town. There was one more stop he had to make before he went home. Luckily, Claire Williams’ business was based on a property that was almost as secluded as his ranch.
Which meant the chance of anyone seeing him there was almost zero.
Two days later,Becky paced back and forth in Happy Petals’ workroom. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t sit still for long enough to help Molly. “I don’t know why Adam didn’t want me to go to the hotel. Edith will twist whatever Mary says in circles and make the therapist believe I’m the person with problems. I’m Mary’s legal guardian, for goodness’ sake.”
“You’re also emotionally invested in what happens,” Molly said in an infuriatingly calm voice. “’Tis better to step back and let the professionals take the lead.”
“We’re not discussing ballroom dancing. We’re talking about our little girl.”
“Mary is being watched over by a lovely young woman who knows what she’s doing.”
“Does she? Adam might not know—”
Molly dropped the bouquet she was making on the wide bench. “By all that is holy, stop talking and take a deep breath. The good Lord gave you a brain, so use it.”
Becky’s mouth dropped open, then closed.
“Edith is a sad woman who is incapable of giving Mary what she needs. You are more than she could ever be. Jamie and Sophia made you Mary’s guardian. If a judge wants to take that away, we’ll take our case to a higher court.”
She slumped against the counter. “It could be a long and expensive process.”
“Our girl is worth it.”
Hot tears stung Becky’s eyes. “What if the judge doesn’t thinkI’mworth it? I’m single and running my own business. I don’t have a lot of spare time or money.”
“Now you’re feeling sorry for yourself. No one is saying a single woman can’t be a mother figure to Mary. If Gran can raise two young girls to become successful women, you can do the same.”
“Gran didn’t have a choice.”
“Are you saying you do?”
That wasn’t what Becky was saying, but everything was getting jumbled and coming out the wrong way. “I’m sorry. I’m panicking and thinking the worst.”
“Have a little faith.”
Becky touched the small silver cross at her neck. “Did Gran have the same problem when we went to live with her?”
Molly sighed. “No one cared enough to fight for us. We were extra baggage no one could afford to keep. If it weren’t for Gran, we would have been taken to a foster home and left to our own devices.”
“Was it that bad?”
“I’m surprised you don’t remember the heated discussions in Gran’s kitchen. Everyone had an opinion about our living arrangements. ’Twas worse than you could imagine.”
Becky picked up a flower and some greenery to begin another bouquet. “I’m glad Gran wanted us.”
“We were family. Her tender heart wouldn’t allow her to turn her back on us anymore than you could with Mary.”
Just thinking about the sacrifices their gran had made for them made Becky sad. “I wonder what her life would have been like without us living with her.”
“I asked her the same question before she died. Her reply was that a sorrier life there wouldn’t have been. Before we arrived, she was sad and lonely. We filled the void when Granddad and our parents died, then made our own impression on her heart. Even with all our faults and fears, she loved us with a depth that could overcome anything.”
“She would have loved Mary. They share the same thirst for knowledge, the same love of all creatures, great and small.”
