“It’s not about ability. You have the skills. It’s about…the life you want for yourself. When I saw you with your mom, something shifted inside of me. I hadn’t been aware that I had a grandson until that moment. I knew I wanted to know you and have a relationship with you.”
His rubbed the back of his neck. They never really talked about this. “I hadn’t realized.”
“Why would you? You were a kid and you had a lot going on. For me, the moment I crouched down in front of you, I was hooked. I knew I would do whatever it took to keep you in my life.”
His heart flooded with love for this woman. She’d given him a life. As a child he’d been scared of being left by his mom, but his grandmother had raised him and given him strength.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she said, letting the silence buzz on the open line. “You didn’t ask but I think you’d be a good father. And I’d love to have some great-grandchildren.”
He knew she did. Their family was small—just the two of them, with a few distant cousins who lived down in Arizona. But mostly it was just them. “I know you do. Might not happen.”
“No pressure. You have to make the life that is your own. Not one that’s for me,” she said. “Make sure that they are your choices and not a reaction to your mother’s.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
They said their goodbyes and he looked at his desk. Did she think he was still reacting to the way his mom had left him? It was true that given his upbringing, his mom’s struggles and never knowing his father, it did make him think twice about having a family of his own.
He knew how fragile they were. Look at little Gracie. She reinforced that. The baby had had a mother who no doubt loved her, but now she was on her own. He might not be sure about adopting her, but he could find out who her mother was and why she was murdered. Having answers about her was going to matter to Gracie one day.
He sent a brief email to Jacob updating him on the information he’d gathered that day and then got ready to leave the tribal police office. He said good-night to the officer on duty and then walked out to his truck. The night was cold and dark, as if it were midnight instead of only 6:00 p.m.
That was winter. The season seemed to drive you inside. So what was Annie Ross doing wandering around in the wilderness? And why would she have left her baby behind? What had been important to her?
Camille’s disappearance? He’d really like to talk to the officer who took that missing-person report, but he’d missed him all day. He would try again tomorrow.
He needed to know more about the woman so he could follow the trail and find out what linked her and Fern.
Ava hurried down the corridor to Fern’s room. When she got closer, she noticed the door was partially closed and heard voices and some laughter. Hesitating, she glanced at her watch. She was about five minutes early for their session, so she had time.
It was nice to hear Fern talking. Ava hadn’t realized that she had friends or family. From the story that Fern had told, she’d thought the other woman was alone in the world.
But then she recognized the voice.
“Ryan?”
“Oh, hey, Ava. How’s it going?” her brother asked, standing up from the guest chair.
“Pretty good. What are you doing here? Everything okay?” she asked him.
“Yeah. Just checking on Fern,” he said.
“I keep telling him I’m fine,” Fern said, a slight blush to her cheeks.
“I need to see it with my own eyes,” he said gently. “I guess I’ll let you get down to business.”
“To defeat the Huns?” Ava and Fern said at the same time.
They all started laughing.
“Sorry, it’s just when someone says that I’m back to being a kid and watchingMulan,” Fern said.
“Same with us,” Ryan said. “’Bye, big sister. Later, Fern.”
Ryan left the room, and Ava watched Fern as she smiled to herself. It was nice to see the other woman relaxed. That was it. She hadn’t been relaxed one time since the fire, but Ryan had done that for her.
“So, let me close the door and we can get started.”
