Becky’s eyes widened.
“That’s right. I apologize. I was wrong to take Mary away, to think I could be a good mother to her. I ruined my ex-husband’s life and Jamie’s, and now I’m dying. “
Becky didn’t know what to say.
“I’ve instructed my legal team to drop the issue of your guardianship of Mary. When I die, a sum of money will be put aside for you to spend on Mary as you see fit. The rest will be placed in a trust with Mary as the sole beneficiary. It’s to be used for her education and a house. A woman should be independent and not rely on a man to give her a roof over her head.”
Edith paused, took a deep breath, and continued. “Whatever’s left over will be available for her to withdraw when she turns twenty-eight. By that time, as long as she listens to you, she should have some common sense between her ears and a backbone that will give her a safe path through life.”
Becky was shocked. “Why?”
“I can’t take my money with me, but I can make it count for something. I only ask that when you tell Mary about me, tell her I loved her. She makes me laugh. She makes me proud of Jamie and ashamed I wasn’t the type of person he needed in his life.” Edith’s sad eyes focused intently on Becky. “Tell Mary to live a good life. Tell her to be kind to those she loves. Life is short and I’ve made a mess of the time I had.”
“I’ll tell her.”
Edith pointed to the bedside cabinet. “There are three envelopes in the top drawer. Take them. One is for you and the other is for Mary. Don’t open them until after I’m gone. The third is a copy of my will and the trust documents. My legal team will contact you after I die.”
Becky was having a hard time taking in everything Edith was telling her. But, for Mary’s sake, she was doing her best.
“I would appreciate it if you would drop the kidnapping charges. The doctors told me I only have a few months at most to live. I would prefer not to die in prison.”
Even when talking about her death, Edith had a stubborn tilt to her chin. “I’ll talk to the police.”
“Good. I’m tired now. Thank you for coming.”
Becky’s eyebrows rose. “You’re telling me to leave?”
“I am. As soon as you drop the charges I’ll be transferred back to Milwaukee. The doctors told me I’ll be in hospice care before too long. The free drugs are something to look forward to.” She glanced at Becky and smiled. “I’m joking.”
“At least you still have your sense of humor.”
The smile left Edith’s face. “I wish I’d seen the funny side of life a lot earlier. Goodbye, Becky. Have a good life.”
“Do you want to see Mary again?”
Edith shook her head sadly. “I’ll talk to her on Zoom. It will be too hard to see her in person. Is she upset about the accident?”
“She thinks it was a big adventure. She’s worried about your head, though.”
“Tell her it feels better.”
“I will.” Becky stood, then hesitated. “Mary loves you. She enjoys talking to you and drawing pictures for you. You’ve made a difference in her life.”
Tears filled Edith’s eyes. “Thank you.”
And with a heavier heart than she thought possible, Becky left Edith’s room.
Chapter22
Two days later, Sean stood outside the animal shelter with Becky and Mary. Originally, Mary was going to adopt one of the kittens in his family’s barn. But, after worrying about the kitten’s parents missing their baby, she’d decided it was best to go to the animal shelter.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Mary jumped up and down. “Yes, yes, yes!”
“Okay, but there are at least ten cute-as-pie kittens inside. It won’t be easy choosing one.”
With a dimpled grin, Mary stood as tall as she could. “I can do it. Molly said to wait until a kitten comes to me. That’s when I’ll know it’s the right one.”
