A Weekend Getaway (24 page)

Hannah put her hand on her hip. “Look, I don’t want to be
rude, but I need some time to be with my mom. I’m glad you came all this way,
but I wasn’t planning on learning that I’m going to die a hideous death.”

Beth stepped forward as if to offer some comfort, but Hannah
jerked back. Trying to hide the agonizing stab of that flinch, Beth stuffed her
hands in her jeans pockets. “I understand. What can I do to help?”

“Leave.” Hannah nearly spit out the word. “Like I said, this
is a lot to take in. I’m freaking out. It makes sense for Parker to stay
because the doctor might want to talk to him or take a blood sample or
something. And my mom will be there. All I’m saying is that exam room is going
to be plenty crowded. It was nice to meet you, but. . . .”

“It’s time for me to go.” Beth forced her head to nod. She’d
mentioned moving here way too soon. “Got it. Of course. I didn’t mean to
overstay my welcome.” She turned toward the door, anxious to exit. Her
fingernails dug into her palm. Keep it together!

Back in the living room, she said quick good-byes and
stepped outside. It took all of her willpower to dam up her tears.

A few minutes later, Connie joined her on the porch. “What
did Hannah say?”

“Just that she already has a mom. Which I know. She has a
terrific mother. You.”

Kindness washed Connie’s face. “Thank you.”

“No. Thank
you
. I
couldn’t have picked a more loving, compassionate, devoted woman to raise my
baby. It
was
selfish of me to come
here. I wanted her to like me so badly.”

Connie laced her fingers together. “She does like you.”

Beth shook her head, staring at the ground. A tear landed at
her feet. She couldn’t fight them off any longer. “I don’t want to interfere in
your lives any more.”

Connie took a deep breath. “You’re a part of her. You always
will be.” She reached toward her necklace and unhinged the heart-shaped locket.
Inside was a tiny picture.

Beth leaned forward to see who it was. An eighteen-year-old
Beth, holding a newborn, stared back at her. Her hand flew to her chest. “Oh my
gosh. I don’t even remember you taking that.” She’d been drained from the labor
and the anxiety about whether adoption was the right choice. Only later did she
regret that she didn’t have any photos. But Connie had been wise enough to take
one.

“I promised you that I’d be open with Hannah about you and I
have been. Every year on Mother’s Day we say a prayer for you. But right now,
we’re worried about this disease she might have. Maybe another time. . . .”

Wiping her tears, Beth nodded. “I’ll wait to hear from you.”

“I’d appreciate that.” She closed the locket and took a
cleansing breath. A moment later, she turned and went back into the house.

Beth used her cell phone to request a cab. She needed to go
back to the hotel and get her luggage, then hustle to the airport. Her short
legs paced back and forth in front of the adobe house while she waited.

The front door squeaked open and then slammed. She looked up
to see her daughter still wrapped in a purple robe. How was it that her baby
stood taller than she did?

Hannah twirled the end of her long hair. “My mom said I
should come say a proper good-bye.”

They spoke only in short, staccato-like bursts. “Well.”

“Yeah.”

“
Gotta
go.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Call. If you want.”

Beth yearned to reach out to her. Finally, with nothing left
to lose, she pushed the words out of her mouth. “Do you
mind.
. .” Her palms moistened. “Can I hug you?”

The teenaged girl stared at her with those familiar brown
eyes. Her hands pushed into her robe’s pockets. She shifted her weight from one
foot to the other as she considered the request. Her gaze fell to her own bare
feet. “I guess.”

Beth encircled her daughter’s lean frame with her arms. The
girl remained limp like a rag doll. The experience was not warm and fuzzy as
Beth had hoped. Like this whole trip, the anticipation outshone the experience.

But then, it felt as if her daughter’s spirit came to life.
Hannah pressed her hands against Beth’s back and returned the embrace.

Joy fluttered in Beth’s heart. Yes! This was the best moment
of her life. She squeezed her child with all her love. Closing her eyes, she
tried to imprint this experience forever into her brain—just as she had
the memory of Hannah’s newborn face.

When Beth finally released Hannah, tears twinkled in the
adolescent’s eyes. Her damp eyelashes stuck together as she blinked.

Beth felt her own floodgates swelling again. “Please stay in
touch. If you ever need anything, anything at all. . . .”

“I know.” Hannah wiped away the tear as if embarrassed by
her emotions.

Like mother, like daughter.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE

As the sun set, Beth drove on auto-pilot to the Victorian
house. She’d lost her job, her daughter wasn’t interested in knowing her, and
even though she and Drew had split up, this place remained the closest thing to
a home that she had. At age thirty-four, she’d made a mess of her life. Single,
unemployed, and unloved. No wonder her dad disapproved of her.

For a while, she’d entertained the wild fantasy that she and
Parker would end up together. But he remained in Dallas, bonding with Hannah,
and he’d given her nothing more than a wave good-bye when she’d left for the
airport.

When she pulled up to the light blue-shingled house, she
admired the white trim that hung like lace along the roofline. She’d helped
Drew choose the color scheme after she’d researched traditional Victorian
exteriors on-line. Once she’d selected the paint, she’d helped apply it. By the
end of the week, Drew’s poor face and arms flamed with sunburn. Redheads had
even fairer skin than blondes, apparently. And painting a two-story house was a
long, long process. A labor of love that started off with excitement and ended
with exhaustion. Kind of like their relationship.

Knowing she was seeing it for the last time, she took the
structure in. A bay window jutted into the wrap-around porch on the left and a
tower soared above it on the right. After a deep breath, she decided to cross
the threshold. She grabbed the empty boxes from the backseat that she’d picked
up from a nearby liquor store. Balancing three, she teetered to the front door.
She almost used her key to enter, but decided to knock first. No answer. Drew
must’ve been working late. A sigh of relief whooshed out of her.

As soon as she opened the door, she half-expected Emma to
run up to her and give her a hug. Silly, she knew. Instead, the parrot squawked
from the kitchen, “Let me out. Let me out.”

Inhaling the house’s familiar musty smell, she grimaced.
“Not now, Captain Kirk.”

“Screw you. Screw you.”

She chuckled to herself. “Missed you, too.” She carried the
boxes up the stairs, left them just inside the bedroom door and went back for
more.

After she packed up her stuff here, she’d have to drive to
Healthy Habits Vitamins to clear out her desk. Maybe that could wait until
tomorrow. But everyone would be watching. Tonight made more sense. And yet, she
couldn’t handle it.

Overwhelmed, she sat down on the rug between her dresser and
the bed. The plaster medallion encircling the ceiling light drew her attention.
It wasn’t nearly as elaborate as the flourished wreath design in the dining
room, but she still appreciated it. The house needed work, but it had good bones.

She studied the concentric circles for a long time. Until
she heard Drew enter the house and the parrot began chattering. She got on her
knees, opened her bottom dresser drawer and started pulling out clothes
frantically.

Drew’s footsteps creaked on the wooden staircase like in a
horror movie.
Get out!
But it was too
late. He opened the bedroom door.

She didn’t speak.

He crossed his arms and stood in the door frame. “Hi.”

The end of their romance strangled her. She stared at her
piles of clothes. “I can come back later if you want.”

 
“I just wish you
would’ve told me.”

She swallowed and considered her words. “It was the biggest
mistake of my life. I didn’t like to think about it—let alone talk about
it.”

Silence filled the air. He shuffled his feet. “I missed
you.”

She stopped breathing. She hadn’t expected this.

He took a step closer. “How was your trip?”

She thought about Hannah telling her that her
mom
would be with her at the doctor’s,
so she didn’t need Beth. Beth meant nothing to her only child. There were no
words available to describe her disappointment. A tear trickled down her cheek.
Before she could stop it, a waterfall of emotion spilled out of her.

He moved closer, knelt and wrapped his arms around her.

Her muscles ached, craving comfort. She cried on Drew’s
shoulder as he patted her back. He hadn’t seen her cry many times. That was
something prissy girls did—not Beth. Beth was tough. Beth did not ask for
much. That was what she brought to the relationship. She’d watch Star Trek and
help renovate this house and take care of Emma.
Love me and I’ll make your life easier.

Her breath heaved in and out. She sobbed until she had it
out of her system. Until her senses returned to her, reminding her that Drew
was no longer her soft place to land. Time to pull herself together. Wiping her
tears with her fingers, she drew back.

He reached for her hand. “Let’s start over. I think we can
make this work if we both try.”

She studied his green eyes surrounded by red lashes. Maybe
if he was open to change and she no longer had this secret, they’d grow closer.
“You’re willing to do some things differently?”

He nodded. “Anything you want.”

That sounded promising. Taking those words, “anything you
want,” she packaged them up and saved them for later. She wasn’t exactly in the
mood to hammer out their differences right now. “How’s Emma?”

“She’s good.” His jaw flexed and he looked as if he wanted
to say something more.

“Is she back with Missy?” Kind of a dumb question since she
obviously wasn’t here.

“Let’s not talk about it now. Let’s talk about us.” He
caressed her cheek and leaned in for a tender kiss.

# # #

The next morning, Beth remained in bed when Drew kissed her
good-bye and left for work. Sleeping in for the first time in forever, she
wasn’t anxious to face her former employer.

Luke’s words echoed in her head. “I’m tired of covering for
you.” “Unless you’re in the hospital, I don’t care.” “You’re fired.” Healthy
Habits had been her first real job straight out of college. Now she needed to
update her résumé. God, she hated job interviews. Who would be her references?
Certainly not Luke.

Pressure closed in around her head. She rolled from her left
side to the right. Her fist punched the pillow. Sleep no longer shielded her
from the realities of the day. Perhaps a cup of coffee would perk her up. She
climbed down the wooden staircase and heard Dora the Explorer’s enthusiastic
voice coming from the television. Drew’s parrot repeated, “
Swiper
,
no swiping.
Swiper
, no swiping.”

The corners of her mouth turned up. Softly padding into the
front parlor, she found Emma eating a fun-sized candy bar while entranced by
the TV. Her trick-or-treat plastic pumpkin sat next to her on the floor,
providing a dwindling supply of goodies.

“Hey, Emma. You know you can’t eat chocolate for breakfast.”

For a moment, the toddler remained glued to the glowing
light box, but then she turned around. “Aunt Beth!” She sprang to her feet and
ran to give her a hug.

Beth closed her eyes and savored the moment. “What would you
like for breakfast? I’ll make anything you want.”

“Candy!”

Beth shook her head, noticing melted chocolate smeared on
the little girl’s pink
p.j.’s
. “No, something
healthy. Scrambled eggs or oatmeal or pancakes.”

“Chocolate chip pancakes!”

“Oh, all right.” She ruffled Emma’s blonde tresses. Squeezing
the little girl into another tight hug, she inhaled the lingering scent of her
strawberry shampoo. “I’m so glad to see you.”

“You were gone a long time.”

Five days didn’t usually seem that long to Beth, but in this
case, she had to agree. Her world had been completely turned upside down.
Although she regretted Hannah’s cool send-off, at least she’d met her daughter.
They’d shared one embrace, which would probably have to last Beth a lifetime.
At least she knew Hannah was truly safe and sound. Up until this point anyway.
She hated to think about what the Huntington’s DNA test would show. Hopefully
Hannah or Parker would keep her updated.

Shaking away those thoughts, she made her way to the kitchen.
When she searched the pantry, she found
Bisquick
, but
no chips. She scratched her head, and then decided to use M & M’s from
Emma’s stash. “Why don’t you turn off the TV and help me mix the pancakes?”
Even though they didn’t have to rush like usual, she hated for Emma to overload
on TV. Amy, the daycare director, had told her she could see differences in
kids’ abilities to focus and entertain themselves depending on the amount of
screen time exposure.

“I
wanna
watch Dora!” Emma said.

Beth pulled open the fridge. “I’ll let you crack the egg.”
Bribery remained the main tool in her parenting toolbox and she hated that. If
she were going to stay and help raise Emma, she’d have to start making the
tough stands. She placed the carton of eggs and the gallon of milk on the
counter. She walked over and turned off the set.

Emma let out a scream.

Beth flinched. “That’s enough Dora for now. Come help me
make breakfast. It’ll be fun.”

Emma went over and turned the TV back on.

This was her moment. She would not let Emma be a spoiled
brat. After she turned off the TV, Beth pointed to the corner. “Go to the time
out chair.”

“No!” Emma stuck out her bottom lip in a pout and crossed
her arms.

At least she didn’t defy Beth by hitting the power button
again. Beth swallowed and stood her ground. “You do not talk to grown-ups like
that. Now you’ll have to sit for another minute.”

Captain Kirk sang the “Bad boys” chorus from the TV show
“Cops.”

“Shut up!” Beth shouted at the parrot.

Emma burst into tears. “You yelled. You never yell.”

Remorse wrenched Beth’s chest. She’d lost her temper and
Sarah Homemaker’s website warned against that. Discipline should be doled out
in an even voice.

Someone stomped down the stairs. “What’s going on?” It was
Missy. Her red hair looked wild and her face pale. A cigarette balanced between
two of her fingers.

Emma ran to her mother and clung to her legs. “Aunt Beth was
mean to me.”

Beth felt her cheeks warm. “I wasn’t mean. She was
disrespectful. I told her to take a time out.”

Missy cradled Emma’s head with one hand, the cigarette in
the other. “You are not to discipline my daughter. You are not to say or do
anything to Emma without checking with me first.” A small baby bump protruded
beneath her robe.

Missy was still smoking even though she was pregnant! Beth
bit back her words, knowing it was best not to argue in front of Emma. Looking
up at the ceiling, Beth turned toward the kitchen.

“Do not roll your eyes at me!” Missy said. “I know about
your big secret. You always act like you’re better than me. Well, you’re not.
And if my brother is dumb enough to take you back, that doesn’t mean I will
make nice-nice. This is my house now, too. I think it’s best you keep to
yourself and Emma and I will keep to ourselves.”

The muscles in Beth’s neck and back clenched. She faced
Missy’s scowling face and regretted the stressed tilt to Emma’s blonde
eyebrows. Like she had to choose between her teddy bear and her American Girl
doll.

Beth forced a slow breath. “You live here now?”

“Yep.” A triumphant smile spread across Missy’s lips. “Drew
invited us.” She touched her round belly and took a drag on her cigarette.

Beth’s mind raced. This was a good thing for Emma, having
Drew provide stability and yet having her mother there, too. But this
arrangement definitely would not work for Beth. Once again, she was the
redundant mother. The one making the room too-crowded. Chewing on her lower
lip, she concentrated on measuring the ingredients for breakfast. “I bet Emma
loves having you around.”

“I’ve always been here for my daughter. Unlike you.”

Beth bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. Her chest
heaved as she wrestled to hold back her anger. Dropping the measuring cup, she
spilled powder on the countertop. “You know what? You can make Emma breakfast.
I need to go.” She stole another glance at poor, caught-in-the-middle Emma as
she marched toward the stairs.

After the quickest shower ever, Beth assembled her “I’ve
been fired” outfit of jeans and a sweater. Not too polished, but not too sad,
either. She paused at Drew’s dresser, staring at the jeweler’s box that held
the diamond tie tack. When she picked it up, she saw that dust had formed a
square around it. She tucked it in her purse.

She scurried down the stairs and stopped when she saw Emma
sitting cross-legged in front of Dora the Explorer. The pancake breakfast had
not been completed and Missy was nowhere in sight—only the dirty smell of
her cigarette remained.

Beth pressed her palm to her chest, trying to calm her
racing heart. This was it. She could no longer live here. She would no longer
drive Emma to and from daycare. She would no longer buy her little sailor
dresses with matching navy tights. She would no longer make every decision
based upon what was best for a three-year-old child.

A lump stuck in her throat. This house held Drew’s family,
but she could finally admit it would never hold hers.

Licking her tender lips, she forced herself forward. She
squatted down and hugged Emma whose gaze remained on the screen. “I love you.
Don’t you ever forget
that.
I love you like you were
my own.” Oh, how she adored the sweet, strawberry smell her hair.

Emma cocked her head and scrunched up her forehead. “What’s
wrong, Aunt Beth?”

Suddenly, Beth’s eyes burned. She squeezed her lids tight to
fight the impending tears. But she quickly opened them so she could take in
this cherub’s face. “Nothing. Tell me. Who’s my little sunshine?”

Emma grinned. “I am!”

“That’s right.” She started singing “You are my Sunshine”
and Emma joined in. Once the song ended, Beth forced herself to accept this.
After all, she’d had her shot at motherhood and she’d given it away. She’d
tried to fill in for Missy, but Emma needed her real mother. She deserved to
grow up with her. Hopefully Missy would appreciate what a great opportunity she
had. What a great kid she had. Beth had to believe that.