As she turned back to the kitchen, intending to make a pot of coffee before everyone else woke up, there was a knock at the door. The sound startled her—it was early, and she hadn’t expected anyone to be out on this cold Christmas morning. Or arriving at Schatzi’s, for that matter.
Frowning slightly, she crossed the living room and opened the door to find a young woman standing on the porch, bundled in a thick coat and scarf, her cheeks flushed from the cold. Maddie’s breath caught in her throat. She thought sherecognized the woman, maybe from the bonfire, though she couldn’t place her name.
“Hannah’s not in trouble, is she?” The woman’s voice was low, rushed, her eyes filled with worry. “I heard?—”
“What? Hannah?” Maddie blinked in confusion, her hand still on the door. “No, she’s fine. Who are you?”
The young woman’s face softened, and she let out a small sigh of relief. “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to show up like this. My name’s Lisa. I...I’m Trevor’s—the baby’s father’s—sister.”
The words hung in the brisk morning air, the weight of them crashing down on Maddie. The father’s sister? She hadn’t expected anyone connected to the baby’s father to appear so suddenly. Especially not today of all days.
Lisa’s dark eyes searched Maddie’s face, as if she were trying to figure out how much she knew. “I just found out yesterday,” Lisa said quietly, her breath forming small clouds in the cold. “About Hannah and the baby. As far as I know, my brother doesn’t have a clue. Yet. I’m sure that will change, but I don’t think he’ll care. Anyway, I thought she might need someone.”
Maddie’s mind spun. She had never asked Hannah for details about the baby’s father—she hadn’t wanted to press her for information she didn’t seem comfortable sharing. But now, standing here on the porch with Lisa, Maddie realized that this was a part of the situation they hadn’t accounted for.
And there was no avoiding it now.
“Come inside,” Maddie said, stepping back to let her in. “It’s freezing out here.”
Lisa hesitated, then nodded and stepped into the warmth of the house, her boots leaving small clumps of snow on the floor. She looked around, taking in the cozy living room, the little Christmas tree, and the crackling fire.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come,” Lisa admitted, unwrapping her scarf and shrugging off her coat. “But I heard that Hannahwas pregnant, and I couldn’t just...do nothing. My brother—well, I love him, but he doesn’t exactly have the best track record with responsibility.”
Maddie raised an eyebrow as she took Lisa’s coat and hung it on the peg by the door. “I see. YouheardHannah was pregnant? Did she tell you?” Hannah had never mentioned talking to Lisa. Or even knowing her.
Lisa shook her head. “No. I overheard a conversation in town, and I figured it out.” She glanced toward the stairs, her expression softening. “I didn’t want to make things harder for her. I just thought she might need help. I swear that’s the only reason I’m here. That’s my niece or nephew she’s carrying. I owe her any help I can give.”
“That’s very kind of you.” Maddie took a deep breath, her mind whirling as she tried to figure out what more to say. This was uncharted territory for all of them—especially for Hannah, who had been trying so hard to keep things quiet until she could figure out exactly what she was going to do. Lisa’s arrival made things even more complicated.
“Hannah’s been through a lot,” Maddie said with care, twisting her hands together. “She’s scared. But she’s strong, and she’s trying to make the best decisions she can. She’s been hanging out here a lot, even staying over some nights, because she and her dad are struggling a bit.”
Lisa nodded, her eyes filled with a kind of quiet understanding. “I get that. I do. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for her. I just want to help, if I can. If she wants my help. She might not and if that’s the case, I’ll accept that.”
Maddie hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Maybe it would be best if we talked to her together. But I should tell you she might not want to talk. This has been a lot for her to handle, and she might not be ready to take on any more.”
Lisa bit her lip, glancing down at her hands. “Yeah. I figured she might not want to see me, but I thought I’d try.”
Maddie gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Let’s give her a minute to wake up, and then we’ll talk to her. In the meantime, why don’t you sit by the fire. I’ll make us some coffee.”
Lisa nodded gratefully, moving toward the living room as Maddie headed into the kitchen. Her mind buzzed with everything that had just happened—the sudden appearance of Lisa, the fact that someone in town was already talking about Hannah’s pregnancy, and the realization that they had reached a turning point in this journey.
There was no going back. Maddie hoped Hannah would be able to handle whatever came next.
It wasn’t long before Schatzi shuffled down the stairs, her steps slow and deliberate as she adjusted her sling. Ernie plodded alongside her, not moving much faster. Maddie smiled at her aunt, pouring two mugs of coffee and handing one to Schatzi as she headed for her chair by the fire.
Schatzi took a sip, her eyes narrowing as she saw Lisa sitting quietly on the sofa. “And who’s this, then?”
Maddie took a breath, bracing herself for the explanation. “This is Lisa. She’s the sister of the baby’s father, Trevor.”
Schatzi’s eyebrows shot up, and she glanced sharply at Maddie before looking back at Lisa. “I see.”
“Lisa, this is my aunt, Schatzi. This is her house.”
Lisa shifted nervously in her seat, her hands clasped around her mug of coffee. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I just wanted to offer my help. If Hannah is interested.”
Schatzi, always quick to assess people, studied Lisa before her expression eased. “Well, if you’re here to help, then I reckon that’s a good thing. Poor Hannah’s been carrying too much on her own.”
Lisa nodded, though she still looked nervous. “That’s what I figured.”
