Lainey knocked again. “Let me in, please.”
“Just a second…”
I didn’t want her to see me like this, so I turned on the cold water and splashed some on my face, hoping that would help.
It didn’t.
Her knocking grew more insistent, so with a sigh, I turned the knob to unlock the door. She immediately came in, took one look at me, and locked the door behind her.
“Oh, honey! What’s going on?”
Her concern made my eyes well up again.
“Nothing! Everything! I don’t know!” I wailed as the tears flowed down my face.
She rubbed both my biceps as she looked me in the eye and told me, “Take a deep breath,” as she modeled it. Then, “Again.” I breathed in synchrony with her, and after the fourth breath, she said, “Let’s start at the beginning. What’s going on?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jessica
Lainey reiterated, “So you think your parents are going to make you marry the old guy from your church?”
I nodded.
“And you obviously don’t want to marry him.”
I continued to be mute as I shook my head. After spilling my guts—to my boss, no less—all my words seemed to be used up.
“But if you don’t get married, your parents are going to kick you out and disown you.”
Finally, I found my voice. “And maybe try to take Ruthie.”
“Okay, I can tell you with almost one hundred percent certainty that no one is going to take Ruthie as long as she’s not being neglected. And I know you’d never let that happen.”
“No,” I agreed solemnly. “I wouldn’t.”
“So maybe you try and find a cheap one-bedroom apartment? I wish my space upstairs was available, but I have a renter in there right now.”
“I don’t want to lose my family. I know they’re a little much, but they’re my parents. And they’re the only grandparents Ruthie’s got.” I wasn’t sure if my brothers would shun me. I didn’t think they even still attended church, although I wasn’t positive since none of them lived in Haven Springs anymore. But they hadn’t exactly been supportive of me when they found out I was pregnant.
The only family I knew would accept me was Mary. But she lived in Georgia, and I didn’t want to relocate to a big city.
Lainey nodded. “I understand. You said you had been hoping to go on a date with Alan?”
In my word-vomit explanation about why I was crying, I may have mentioned that.
Now, I was embarrassed at my admission and needed to backpedal.
“I mean, it was just a daydream. I know I’m way too young for him, and there’s no way he’d be interested—”
She cut me off. “Oh, he’s interested. But I told him he couldn’t date my staff.” Her voice got lower when she continued, “I don’t think he’s going to listen to me, though. I fully expect him to ask you out before the end of the day. Or at least when he drives you home.”
That made me start crying again, and I howled, “Kevin is picking me up today!”
“Who’s Kevin?”
“Mr. Roberts!”
