Knowing the layout of my house, Declan carried Rosie into the bathroom and placed her in a special chair so I could help her brush her teeth and ready her for bed. He then retreated to the hallway, and I entered the room and stood next to my daughter, going through her usual bedtime ritual. Then when we were ready, Declan reentered the bathroom and picked Rosie up, taking her to her room, where he laid her gently on her bed, among all her dinosaur posters.
He stood in the doorway as I kissed her good-night and sang her favorite nighttime lullaby. I’d stopped doing that shortly after her fifth birthday, when she’d joked that she was “too cool” for that kind of thing, but had resumed last year when she came home from the hospital. I wasn’t entirely sure if it was more soothing for her or me.
Soon her eyelids grew heavy, but she managed to raise a small hand and place it on my cheek. My throat closed over with emotion. “Good night, sweetheart,” I said, trying to fight back tears. “Sleep tight.”
By the time I returned to the hallway, I could already hear Rosie’s quiet snores. She was out for the count.
Declan was waiting at the top of the stairs. “She OK?” he whispered as we headed back down together.
“She’s fine. Whacked. You’re really good with kids,” I commented.
“I’m happy to help, Kate. Rosie’s a great child. She deserves...so much.” He paused then on the step below me and met my gaze. “So do you.”
Suddenly, all of the air seemed to be sucked out of the room, and I felt my breath catch in my throat as Declan looked up at me with gentle eyes.
“Thanks, I...”
Just then, the doorbell rang and I jumped, my mind flooded with confusion and embarrassment. With a bright-red face—I felt like I was on fire—I sputtered out the words, “Someone’s at the door.”
Thanks for that, Captain Obvious...
I stole a glance at his face, trying to determine what I saw. Was that embarrassment? Or concern in the form of worry and confusion...
Not wanting to examine it too closely, I marched down the steps past him and went to the door.
Out front, under the soft glow of the porch light, stood Alison. Stealing a glance at my watch, I realized that it was a bit late for her to be making house calls, or indeed for her brother to be at a client’s house.
“Alison, hi.” I stood back to let her inside and the moment she did so her eyebrows raised at the appearance of Declan, coming slowly down the stairs. His hair looked a little mussed after his efforts in carrying Rosie and a single dark lock spilled over his forehead.
Like Superman.
I worked to arrange my expression and control it, but regardless, I felt Alison’s curious gaze on us both.
“Sorry—we were just putting Rosie to bed. I mean, Declan helped carry her up the stairs.”
His sister smiled, a knowing twinkle in her eye.
“What’s going on, Alison?” Declan asked evenly, all business.
She looked at us both and unfurled a piece of paper. “I just dropped by the office. The defense has issued an addition to the witness roster for tomorrow. Madeleine Cooper is going to testify.”
47
On Friday morning, Madeleine held her head high as she walked to the witness stand. She knew that this was a risky move, but it was one that she had to take.
The judge, the media and, most of all, Kate needed to hear from her.
Her sister-in-law had already been brave and done an incredible job, and her great friend Lucy had done her utmost to paint her in a decent light. Now she had to top their performances and make the case for why she, and especially her family, were not guilty of negligence, and while they might be considered indirectly responsible for this, their decision not to vaccinate Jake and Clara did not make them monsters.
Eschewing the conservative suits she’d worn to court so far, today she wore a flowing floral skirt and light pink cashmere polo-neck sweater that was much more her usual day-to-day style. She smoothed the skirt carefully as she took her seat.
Looking around the courtroom, she adjusted to the change in landscape of the room from this point of view and decided that this was much like a pet goldfish must feel like in a fish tank.
“Mrs. Cooper—Madeleine—thank you for taking the stand today and for your willingness to share your testimony with the court.”
Nodding at Michael McGuinness, she clasped her hands in her lap and tried to remain calm.
But her palms were sweating.
