I blinked the tears from my eyes. Rita?
I looked to the side and sure enough, my mother stood there calmly but firmly, and I did as I was told without question, feeling comforted almost immediately. Several minutes later, my breathing returned to normal, and she pulled the bag away.
“Better?” Her eyes were filled with understanding and kindness.
Her short blonde hair was mixed with gray in a simple, stylish cut, and she wore a blue sundress, a shade paler than her periwinkle eyes. She was nothing like Grammy had described. I didn’t know what to think anymore. She looked innocent and sweet, and since I’d met her, she’d been nothing but kind.
And it confused the hell out of me.
“Yes, much,” I finally responded.
“Good. Let’s sit on this bench for a bit just to be sure you’re okay.” She led me and my cart to a bench along the wall by the lottery ticket machines.
I stifled a hysterical giggle.
Who would have thought my mother showing up would be my lucky day? I looked down at my stomach, feeling what she must have felt forty years ago when she was pregnant with me and Tabatha. I felt connected to her, and I didn’t want to. Or did I?
I just didn’t know what I wanted anymore.
It felt like a betrayal to Grammy if I allowed myself to have a relationship with my parents and sister, but was it really? Did Grammy lie to me for my entire life? If that were true, that would be my breaking point.
“Thank you.” My voice was barely more than a whisper as it pushed its way past the lump in my throat.
“You’re very welcome. I’m just glad I was here to help.” She studied me carefully. “Do you mind if I ask what happened?”
“I think you’ve earned that right.” I paused a beat. “I’m not really sure what happened. I thought I was having hunger pains, but then I realized it was lower than my stomach. Little flutters like butterfly wings. I panicked and thought I was going into early labor. According to my book, they would never survive.”
“How far along are you?” She leaned in like she was really listening to me, like she actually wanted to know and cared about what I had to say. Not like someone who was only after Grammy’s money.
“Sixteen weeks,” I answered.
Her entire face softened as she said with tenderness, “You were feeling your babies move for the first time.”
I gasped and stared down in wonder. “That’s what it feels like? Butterflies dancing in my stomach?”
She nodded slowly and lightly laughed.
I ran my hand over my silk maternity shirt. “With Matt as the father, I figured it would feel more like a rugby team running a play when they moved.”
“Just wait, dear.” She patted my hand, and this time, my heart fluttered.
I frowned and cleared my throat. “I can’t wait to tell Matt.” That made me frown harder. Where had that come from, and why was I being so sentimental today? I blamed it on the hormones.
“He won’t be able to feel them through your stomach just yet. Closer to twenty weeks, he should be able to.” Her lips tipped up at the corners as she looked off, remembering. “Your father was in such awe the first time he felt you and your sister move.”
Not enough to keep me, I thought, but remained silent.
“He actually cried.” Her smile faded. “The only other time I saw him cry was when we lost you.”
My heart pinched. Nope, I couldn’t go there yet. I didn’t know if I ever could.
“Well,” I stood, “thank you again for your help. I really need to finish my grocery shopping and get back to packing.”
Shoot. I squeezed my eyes closed for a second. I hadn’t meant to say that part out loud, but she probably knew about my new living arrangements already anyway, given this town’s rumor mill.
She stood but didn’t comment on it, and her smile shined a little less brightly this time.
“You’re very welcome, Tiffany. I’m always glad to help in any way I can. I mean that.” Her gaze met mine and held as she spoke with sincerity. “We’re not far away. Just on the edge of town in a small house on a plot of land. It’s not much, but it suits us. We rarely used to come into town before, but now, well, you’ll see us around a lot more.” She nodded with conviction. “Your father and I are here for you if you need us, and so is your sister.”
“Been there, done that. Didn’t work out so well,” I blurted before I could stop myself, then let out a frustrated huff.
“Give her time.”
“I’ve given her forty years. I gave you all more than enough time. What more do you want from me?” My voice was a little harsher than I had intended.
Rita nodded, clearly unable to speak as her eyes welled up with tears. She looked like a wounded bird as she handed me a note and waved goodbye, hurrying out of the store to Charlie, who was waiting by the curb in an old, rusted pickup truck.
I sighed, feeling like the bad guy for the first time.
Dammit! Since when was any of this my fault? It hadn’t been my fault before, but was it my fault now? I was a grown woman. I did have the power to make my own choices and change the course of my life if I wanted to.
It was all too much.
I opened the note. It had all of their cell phone numbers, their addresses, and said, We love you. Please just give us a chance to make up for the past.
Well, hell.
Chapter Thirteen
