Page 44 of Wedding Season
“Did somebody say that? Because what happened to you was an accident. You didn’t ruin anything. Tell me who said that and I will have a conversation with them.”
Heather shook her head, a strand of limp blond hair falling into her face. She didn’t bother to push it away. “You’re talking like a mom.”
Mariella drew closer to the bed and tucked the hair behind Heather’s ear. “I take that as a compliment. Your real mom will get here as soon as she can. I know I’m not a substitute and I’m not trying to be, but if there’s anything you need—”
“I don’t want her to know about you being in town.”
Mariella took a small step back. She’d expected that but hearing Heather say it out loud still stung. It wasn’t as if she thought she was going to get invited to dinner with her daughter’s adoptive parents or that she deserved anything different.
She pressed two fingers against the ache in her chest. “I can’t exactly disappear,” she said, “but I’ll do my best to lay low while they’re in town. I don’t want to cause you pain, Heather. Any more pain,” she clarified.
The girl nodded. “I doubt they’ll be able to get here until tomorrow morning, and the doctor is releasing me today. I don’t want to spend the night alone. Not that I think anything bad is going to happen. Maybe I’m being a big baby but—”
“You can stay with me.” Mariella tried to keep her voice even as she made the offer even though her heart was beating like the frantic wings of a trapped bird. “I have plenty of room.”
“Thanks,” Heather said and closed her eyes again.
Mariella drew in a deep breath. One step at a time, she reminded herself as a fragile sort of hope filled her heart.
CHAPTER TWELVE
MARIELLAPULLEDINTOher garage and turned off the car, glancing over at Heather, who was resting her head, eyes closed, on the back of the seat. They hadn’t spoken much on the drive from the hospital, which left Mariella time to ruminate over the implications of having her daughter stay overnight.
“Here we are,” she said as if it wasn’t obvious. “Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can get you?”
The girl unbuckled her seat belt without making eye contact. “I’d like to start by getting out of the car. You sound nervous. If you’re worried I’m going to stab you in your sleep or something, I don’t have the energy for that right now.”
Mariella winced. “That’s comforting.”
“I’m also all out of warm and fuzzy.”
“Duly noted.” The girl’s attitude was almost a relief. Mariella had never found a groove with warm and fuzzy. She was also anxious about being in any sort of a caregiving role. Probably the first thing she should do when she walked into the house was reapply deodorant.
They’d stopped at Heather’s small guest house on the way over, and Mariella grabbed the duffel bag from the back seat then hurried around the car to help Heather out.
“I broke my arm,” the girl said through gritted teeth. “The doctor said the lung is bruised, not punctured. I’m not an invalid and can get out of the car on my own.”
Mariella didn’t argue although it was obvious Heather was in a significant amount of pain. They’d already picked up a prescription the ER doc had called in for some fairly heavy-duty pain meds. The kind Mariella had favored back in her wild days.
They walked into the house in silence. Mariella flipped on the light and automatically walked over to the kitchen counter to greet Millie. “How’s my best girl?” she asked and dropped a few flakes into the bowl. Millie darted to the top of the water to grab her dinner then floated back down toward the castle Mariella had arranged in the center of the small tank.
She turned, shocked to find Heather directly behind her staring between the goldfish and Mariella. “Did you talk to that fish like it’s a dog?”
“No. I talked to her like she is the most perfect fish that has ever lived, which is the truth. Heather...” She gestured to the bowl. “Meet Millie.”
“It’s a goldfish.”
“Do you have a problem with fish?”
“No. I wouldn’t have guessed you to be the pet type. Not much of a caregiver.”
Mariella wondered if the girl had any idea how her observations bit like the sharp crack of a whip and gave voice to Mariella’s own fears about her shortcomings. She doubted it.
Heather didn’t seem to have the same animosity toward her as when they’d first officially met. Mariella appreciated the change, even it was subtle.
“As you said, she’s a fish. Fish don’t take a lot of work.” She didn’t mention that Millie was the most loyal companion she had in her life. And how much comfort she took from her pet.
“How do you know it’s a girl?”
