“I know what it’s like to feel alone and scared and not know what to do. And we’re both women, so we’ve got that going for us. But mostly, you need help, and I want to do that for you.”
Hannah wiped at her tear-streaked face, her eyes wide and scared. “How? What if...” A soft sob snuck out. “What if my dad kicks me out?”
Maddie’s heart squeezed. “You can stay here, with Schatzi and me, as long as you need. We’ll talk to your dad when you’re ready, but right now, we just need to take things one step at a time. You’re not alone, Hannah. I’m here. And Schatzi is here.”
Maddie knew her aunt well enough to know that was true.
Hannah nodded, though the fear was still there in her eyes. But Maddie could see something else, too—something she hadn’t seen before. Trust. It might be hesitant, but it was there.
And in that moment, as the fire crackled in the hearth and the snow fell softly outside, Maddie took comfort in being able to offer that to another person. To someone who was hurting in their own way.
There was something about the instant that made her think they might all be able to help each other heal.
Chapter Eleven
The air in the house felt different after Hannah’s confession. The heavy burden the girl had been carrying for weeks—maybe months—hung in the corners of every room, pressing in on Maddie.
As much as she wanted to, it wasn’t something she could share with Becca. It just didn’t feel right, even now that they were talking again. Hannah deserved her privacy.
But as Maddie moved through the house the next day, tending to Schatzi, she couldn’t stop thinking about Hannah and the sheer weight of the words she’d spoken:I’m pregnant. I don’t know what to do.
The gravity of it all gnawed at Maddie. She had promised Hannah they’d figure it out together, but the truth was, Maddie didn’t know where to begin. How could she help this girl, so young and terrified, navigate something so life-altering when Maddie herself still struggled to navigate her own grief?
Also life-altering, but not in the way bringing a child into the world was.
She stood at the kitchen sink, her hands resting on the edge of the basin over the warm dishwater, staring out the frosty window as the snow continued to flutter down. The worldoutside was a serene white, but inside her mind, it was anything but calm.
Ernie padded over, his soft fur brushing against Maddie’s ankles as he meowed for attention. She smiled faintly, drying her hands and reaching down to scratch behind his ears. The soft purring of the cat was comforting, but her thoughts were miles away.
“How’s that lunch coming along?” Schatzi’s voice broke the quiet, pulling Maddie back to the present.
“It’s coming,” Maddie said absently, turning to glance at her aunt. Schatzi was still in her armchair, a blanket draped over her legs and her arm resting in the sling, looking more restless than usual.
Maddie left the dishes and checked on the reheating soup. It was just starting to simmer at the edges. She smiled at her aunt. “Shouldn’t be but a few more minutes.”
Schatzi tilted her head, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. “You’ve been acting strange all morning. What’s on your mind? And don’t say nothing because I know better.”
Maddie hesitated, chewing her bottom lip as she came out to the living room. Schatzi could always read her so easily, as though her emotions were written across her face in bold letters. Maddie wasn’t sure how much she should tell Schatzi about Hannah’s situation, but the weight of it was too heavy to carry alone.
She had to tell Schatzi. Especially if Hannah decided she needed a place to stay.
Maddie crossed the room and sat on the edge of the sofa across from Schatzi. “It’s about Hannah,” she began, her voice soft but steady.
Schatzi raised her eyebrows, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Go on.”
Maddie took a deep breath, folding her hands in her lap. “She told me something yesterday. Something big and secret, but she confided in me. I’m only sharing because I know you’ll keep it a secret and because I think you need to know. She’s pregnant, Schatzi. And she’s scared. She doesn’t know how to tell her dad, and...she doesn’t know what to do.”
Schatzi’s expression relaxed immediately, and she let out a long sigh, her eyes glazing with a mix of sadness and understanding. “Poor girl,” she murmured, shaking her head slowly. “I knew something was troubling her, but I didn’t think...”
“Neither did I,” Maddie admitted. “She’s so young, Schatzi. I don’t think she even understands the enormity of what’s happening. And I’m worried about her. Her dad’s barely around, and when he is, she says he’s angry all the time.”
Schatzi was quiet briefly, her brow furrowed in thought. She shifted in her chair, grimacing slightly as she adjusted her arm in the sling. “What does she plan to do?”
Maddie shook her head, feeling the weight of the unknown settle in her chest. “She doesn’t know. She hasn’t even told her dad yet. I offered to let her stay here if she needs to—I hope that was okay?—”
“It was fine,” Schatzi reassured her.
“Good. But I’m not sure how we can help her, not really.”
