Page 20 of Dance in the Light
I sat on the couch with Rose, sang to her, and watched as she played with a doll on my lap. “Aw baby,” she said and hugged it tight as if mimicking like her doll was sick and she was caring for it.
She was smiling and giggling and even hugging me so much. A ray of hope filled my heart how things could work out between us.
Suddenly I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, surprised if it was Ryan back so soon. But the door to the apartment flew open, scaring me half to death to see Trudy.
“What the hell areyoudoing here? Where’s Ryan?” She demanded to know and lurched forward, snatching Rose from my arms.
“He had to take the tow truck out to a big accident. He thought you were a way for a few days, so I’m just help?—”
“He left me a message earlier that she was sick. What kind of mother do you think I am? Of course I cut my trip short and came back here. When she’s sick, she needs her mother.”
Rose started crying immediately. “Come on baby, I’ll take you home.”
Her cries tore at my heart. “Trudy, I’ll go, you can stay. No sense in disturbing her while she’s not feeling well.”
“Don’t tell me what’s best for my child.”
“I wasn’t.” And for whatever reason, tears formed in the corner of my eyes. “Look, if I’m going to stay, you’re going to have to get used to me being around.”
“If?” She did an about face at the door and laying eyes on me full of venom. “My God, Cindy, do you even understand how much you’ve gotten Ryan’s hope up?And you’re saying if?When you broke his heart after high school, it wasmewho helped him put the pieces back together.”
“I’m sorry you feel threatened by me, but?—”
“No. If you’re going to leave again, I can’t be there for him this time. I can’t keep on coming in second place to you. I’ve spent too many years doing that.” Tears fell down her cheeks, as did mine.
“No, you’re right. You deserve happiness, Trudy. We all do.”
“Then do not play theIf Gamewith Ryan’s heart, please.”
“Baby . . .” Rose shimmied down her mother’s body to the floor and waddled over to her baby doll.
“Thanks for taking care of her, but I’ll take her home now. Come on, Rose,” she took her daughter’s hand and moved toward the door.
Rose escaped her grasp and ran to me, holding out her arms, with her doll still held in one hand. “Dee Dee Bye Bye.”
I was just as shocked as Trudy. “Bye rosebud.” I knelt and hugged her tight.
“Aw baby.” She pat my back as if consoling me. More tears threatened to fall from my eyes as the breakthrough I so desperately needed with Rose played out in front of her mother.
“Go on now, sweetie, to your mama,” my voice wobbled.
Trudy’s eyes threw fire at me again. “You know what? Forget Ryan. Don’t you fucking dare play with my baby’s heart. You either stay now or go forever, but make up your damn mind.”
As soon as the door slammed behind them, I fell to the floor, a complete mess. This time, the full blow of guilt hit me.
As soon as I could, I got myself together and left, but not before leaving a note for Ryan when he returned.
FIFTEEN
DAMN NOTE
RYAN
I narrowly missed a deer in the road on the way to the Hale Farm. The speed limit sign read thirty-five, but my truck did at least sixty. Over my dead body would Cindy Hale leave this town again without me.
“Come on, Bessie, I need to stop her from leaving.” I pushed my old girl to the limit.
The events from the moment I had walked in hoping to see Cindy and my baby girl waiting for me at my place had sent my pulse skyrocketing.
