“But if she doesn’t want to talk to you?—”
“I won’t force myself on her, I promise.”
“Good.”
As the three of them sat quietly, sipping coffee and waiting for Hannah to wake, a deep sense of uncertainty came over Maddie. She had spent so much time trying to support Hannah, to give her the space and safety she needed to figure things out, but now it seemed that the outside world was creeping in. The question was, how would Hannah react to it? Would she accept Lisa’s help, or would she see this as another burden to carry?
But the really big question was, would it cause her to shut down again?
Footsteps on the stairs made them all look up, and a moment later, Hannah appeared at the top of the staircase, her hair tousled from sleep, her flannel pajamas rumpled. Her eyes were tired, but she smiled faintly when she saw Maddie and Schatzi.
“Morning,” she murmured, rubbing her eyes as she made her way down.
Maddie stood, her heart pounding as she crossed the room to meet Hannah at the bottom of the stairs. “Morning, Hannah,” she said. “We need to talk about something.”
Hannah’s brow furrowed, her gaze darting to the sofa where Lisa sat, still and tense. Her expression shifted instantly from confusion to recognition to fear. “What’s she doing here?” she asked, her voice edged with annoyance.
Maddie placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Lisa’s here to help, Hannah. That’s it. She found out about the baby and wants to offer her support.”
Hannah’s face paled, and she took a step back, her eyes wide with panic. “I didn’t tell anyone,” she whispered. “I didn’t want anyone to know.”
Lisa stood up, her hands raised in a placating gesture. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I really am. I didn’t mean to find out. I just overheard from someone in town, and when I figured it out, I couldn’t just do nothing.”
“Who’s talking about this? It’s my business.” Hannah’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head, her voice trembling. “Does Trevor know? I don’t want him to. I don’t want any of this.”
Schatzi frowned. “Take a breath, Hannah. It’s all going to be okay.”
Maddie’s heart ached as she watched the girl crumble before her. This was exactly what she’d been afraid of. “Hannah, I know this is upsetting and not what you were prepared for,” she said. “But Lisa isn’t here because she’s against you. She’s here to offer help, and you don’t have to make any decisions right now.”
Hannah wiped at her eyes, her body trembling as she looked from Maddie to Lisa. “I just...I can’t do this. It’s too much.”
Maddie wrapped her arms around Hannah, pulling her into a hug as the girl’s sobs wracked her body. The girl was so easily upset these days. Had to be the extra hormones in her system. Maddie could feel the weight of Hannah’s fear, her overwhelming sense of helplessness, and it broke her heart.
“Hey, you’re not doing this alone, remember?” Maddie whispered, her voice steady. “We’re all here for you. One step at a time, okay?”
Hannah nodded against her shoulder, her sobs slowing as she took deep, shaky breaths. Maddie held her for a while beforepulling back and looking her in the eye. Hannah was calming down a little.
“Let’s talk to Lisa,” Maddie said gently. “Let’s hear what she has to say. And if you don’t want to do anything with that information, you don’t have to. You’re in control. This is your life. Your decisions. Your baby, right?”
“Right.” Still Hannah hesitated, her tear-filled eyes flicking to Lisa, who stood quietly by the fire. After a long pause, she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. “Okay.”
“Good girl,” Schatzi said.
Maddie gave her a small, encouraging smile, and together they moved toward the sofa, where Lisa sat down again, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and relief.
As the four of them sat down together, the fire crackling in the background, Maddie knew that the road ahead remained uncertain. But in this moment, at least, they were moving forward.
And for now, that had to be enough.
Chapter Sixteen
The rest of Christmas Day passed quietly, but not without some tension. After Hannah had agreed to sit down with Lisa, the two of them had spoken for over an hour while Maddie and Schatzi gave them space.
From the kitchen, Maddie could hear bits and pieces of the conversation: Lisa offering support; Hannah hesitantly sharing details about the pregnancy; once, there was some laughter, but voices had been raised too.
Maddie did her best to stay out of earshot. She knew how delicate the situation was, and that Hannah needed to feel in control of the conversation. Maddie did not want to do anything to jeopardize that.
When both girls finally emerged from the living room, they looked exhausted but lighter, as if a weight had been lifted. Lisa left soon after, with a promise to return and help in any way she could. The visit had been unexpected, and though it had shaken Hannah, Maddie could see that Lisa’s kindness had begun to break through the layers of fear and uncertainty Hannah had been carrying. It was a start.
