Page 26 of The Kidnapped

“What does your mom say about it?”

“I haven’t told her,” Hollis replied. “I don’t want to upset her. And I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet, so I didn’t want to bring it up.”

“Maybe asking her what she thinks would help you figure it out.”

“I guess. But I don’t want her to think that I’m okay with what he did.”

“She’s your mom. She knows better than that.”

“Does she? She hasn’t seen me since I was five,” Hollis pointed out. “I don’t know if she really knows me all that well yet to know or not.”

Kenna laughed and said, “She knows. Mothers know. I swear, the moment we brought Aaliyah home, it’s like I got another fifty years of mom wisdom deposited into my brain. Ripley and I have talked about it a lot. It’s funny how it happens. She knows you. She always has. She’s tied to you in a way that no one else can or ever will be, Hollis. She’s your mom.” Kenna shrugged a shoulder. “I could go years without seeing Aaliyah, and I hope that never happens, but I’d still know my daughter. I know who she is. I don’t know exactly who she’ll become yet, and I’m excited to see her grow up and discover more of herself, but I’ve watched her share her lunch with a student in class who didn’t have anything to eat that day when I was there for parents’ day at school. I have an idea that she’ll grow up to be a kind person who will want to take care of people like her mom does.”

“Ripley said Aaliyah wants to be a reporter when she grows up,” Hollis noted.

“She’s excited by the cameras and the makeup, mostly, but she takes after Ripley so much. It’s crazy how that happens: biologically, she’s not ours, but in every other way, she is, and I see Ripley in her all the time. She’s got a little of me in her, too, but she’ll probably take after Ripley when it comes to work. I don’t know if she’ll be a social worker, exactly, but she’s a natural-born leader and loves helping people.”

“That’s you, Kenna,” Hollis replied.

Kenna smiled and said, “I guess it’s both of us, then. Just trust me on this: your mom knows who you are, Hollis. She always has.” Kenna stood up from where she’d been leaning. “Can you ask Raleigh about my friend, Dylan?”

“Sure. I can call her tonight.”

“Great. Let me know. I’ve got to go review the outline for the next show.”

Kenna walked into her office, and Hollis sat there wondering how true that was. Did her mother really know her enough yet to understand that if she decided to testify on her father’s behalf, it didn’t mean she condoned what he’d done? She finished up her work with that question still rolling around in her brain and headed home to cook them both a mediocre dinner that her mother would tell her was great because she was such a good person.

When Hollis got there, though, she found her mother at the stove, looking like she had a little more color than usual.

“Hey, sweetie. How was work?” the woman asked, all smiles.

“It was good. You’re cooking?”

“I’m making something easy. Don’t worry,” she replied. “It’s almost ready. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” Hollis said, sitting down at the kitchen table. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she replied, turning to Hollis.

“Dad’s lawyer keeps leaving me messages. He wants to know if I’ll testify for him in some pre-trial hearing. Or, I don’t know, maybe the actual trial. He hasn’t explained if Dad is pleading guilty or if there will be an actual trial in the messages. I haven’t called him back because I don’t know what to say.”

“I see,” her mom said, losing her smile. She moved to sit down next to Hollis at the table. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know,” she replied honestly.

“And you’re worried about me?”

“How did you know?”

“Honey, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m the mom. That’s my job.” She placed a hand on top of Hollis’s. “He’s your father.”

“He took me from you.”

“He did. And I hate that he did that more than you will ever know, but he’s still your father. From what you told me, he took care of you. He did the best he could, at least. He loved you. You love him, Hollis. I know this is confusing for you, but you should do whatever you want to do here. You don’t need to worry about me.”

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