Cara had replied to a hundred questions, including some probing ones about her relationship with Ephraim. Now she waited in the living room while Mrs. Forrester and Lori strolled through the home, chatting. She could hear Lori telling the woman about life in New York, being hungry some days since leaving there, and going on a picnic with Ephraim.
“Lori,” the woman said, “what’s your mommy like when she gets really mad?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lori answered, “She gets on her knees in front of me and points her finger right here.” Cara couldn’t see, but she was sure Lori was pointing to her nose. “She calls me Lori Moore, real quicklike. Then she says, ‘You stop.’” Lori mimicked her mother’s voice. “Sometimes she says, ‘Give me a break, kid. When you’re the adult, we’ll do it your way.’”
“Does she ever hit you?”
“No. But she hit a man at a bus station once. She wouldn’t tell me why, and I didn’t ask twice.”
“Has she ever left you with anyone who hit you?”
They walked into the storage room, and Cara couldn’t make out all their words. It sounded like Mrs. Forrester was going into more personal questions. A few minutes later the two reentered the room. The woman set the leather clipboard beside her and dug into her briefcase. Cara tried to catch a glimpse of her notes.
Mrs. Forrester tapped the legal pad where Cara’s full name and Social Security number were listed. “If I run your info through the New York database, will I get a hit?”
Cara swallowed, not sure she was ready for Lori to know “I was in foster care from eight years old until I was fifteen.”
“Because?”
“My mother had died, and my dad… left.”
“But you were only in the system until you turned fifteen? Why?”
“I ran away.”
The woman pulled out several pamphlets and set them on the coffee table. “What made you leave New York?”
“Does it matter?”
“I won’t know that until you talk to me.”
Cara stood firm, not wanting to give an answer in front of Lori. “There are reasons. Good ones.”
The woman leaned forward. “I’m not here because of an anonymous tip. This visit was initiated because the police filed a report based on what they had witnessed. Added to that, you removed Lori from school the first part of May. School doesn’t end in New York until mid-June or here for another week. Technically, she’s truant, and you’re the reason.” She tapped the pamphlets. “My gut says something’s going on that has nothing to do with questions about your parenting ability. Although your decision-making process does seem questionable.”
Great. More viewpoints from the clueless. Cara figured the woman might survive two weeks with someone like Mike hounding her, maybe less.
Mrs. Forrester shrugged. “I’m only here to help, but I want answers to every question.”
Cara didn’t want her kind of help, but she stood. “Come on, Lori. You can wait outside with Ephraim.”
Lori took her hand and walked silently until they were outside. “Is she gonna put cuffs on you and take you somewhere?”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” She wasn’t sure of much else, but that part didn’t worry her. They walked to the six-foot hedges and found the slight entrance. She spotted Ephraim on the swing with Anna Mary. They made a striking couple. “Can she stay with you for a few minutes?”
“Ya.”
Lori clutched her hand tighter. “I wanna stay with you.”
Ephraim stood. “How about if we walk to the barn and check on Better Days?”
Lori shook her head.
“We’ll bring the pup back here.” Ephraim held out his hand, but Lori didn’t take it.
Cara pulled her hand free. “I’ll be here when you get back. I promise.”
“No.” Lori clutched her mother’s leg.
Cara pried Lori’s hands free and knelt in front of her. “Come on, kiddo. I’m going nowhere. Can’t you trust me on this?”
Lori wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck. “I’ll be good. Just don’t leave me.”
“You couldn’t get rid of me if you turned into a whole gang of trouble. Never forget that.” Cara hugged her tight and then stood. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
Lori swiped at her tears and took Ephraim’s hand.
He moved in closer to Cara. “How’s it going in there?”
“Good, I think, except I’m afraid she’s going to ask questions about my life that I don’t have the answers to.”
Ephraim chuckled, but it sounded forced, making her wonder if he actually cared. She knew he had honor to him or he wouldn’t be doing all this to help her. But that was different. Honor was what made people do certain things so they could live with themselves. Caring? Well… that meant she and Lori mattered.
When she went back inside, Mrs. Forrester was on the couch waiting for her. Cara went to the rocker and sat, ready to answer the toughest questions yet.
“Cara, what caused you to leave New York that you’re not willing to talk about in front of your daughter?”
In spite of wanting to stonewall the woman, Cara described her years of dealing with Mike, and the woman took notes.
Mrs. Forrester tapped her pen on the legal pad. “Logically one would think he’d have given up stalking years ago. But when you were in foster care and told the authorities, somebody blew it, Cara. I might be able to do some investigating, but you need to contact the police.”
“No.”
“He could be doing this to others.”
She cursed. “That’s not my problem. When I tried to turn him in years ago, everyone ignored me. The only thing that matters to me is staying alive so I can keep Lori safe.”
“Okay, okay.” She took the pamphlets off the table. “There are programs that offer assistance. Lori’s past the age to be eligible for WIC, but there are other policies in place to help provide food and shelter.”
Cara held her hand up. “I don’t understand. Am I in a battle to keep Lori or not?”
“Did you know your daughter saw Kendal doing drugs?”
Cara swallowed. “Yes…Lori told me. Kendal and I had a big fight about it. It didn’t happen twice.”
“Having no friends can be better than having bad ones.”
“Oh yeah? When you have some maniac running everyone out of your life, let’s see how you feel.”
The woman sighed. “Cara, you have a new start now, and I see no reason to consider removing your daughter from you.”
Hope hung frozen in the air. Afraid it might turn to vapor and fade into nothing, Cara didn’t move.
The woman stood. “I’ll do a follow-up or two. You need to get her enrolled in school before the next year begins.”
“Is…is that it?”
“We’re done for now.”
Cara’s heart danced inside her chest, some weird, excited tap she’d never felt before.
“I’ve seen and heard a lot in my years as a social worker, and overall you’ve handled a bad situation pretty well.” She passed the pamphlets to Cara and explained how to get government help.
“I don’t want assistance. I just want to be left alone.”
“Your decision. If you change your mind, let me know.”
When they stepped outside, Ephraim walked toward them. Cara’s eyes met his, and she wondered if he knew what he’d done for her.
Mrs. Forrester turned to her. “Thank you, Cara. I’d like to speak to Ephraim alone for a few minutes.”
Deborah and Anna Mary told Ephraim good-bye and left. Cara took Lori inside, hoping Ephraim would come talk to her as soon as he could.
“How’d I do, Mom?”
She knelt in front of Lori. “You were you.” She licked her lips, trying to keep the tears at bay. “And that was absolutely perfect.”
“Are the police coming back?”
She tugged on her daughter’s dress. A week of wearing mostly the same dress day and night made for a very tattered outfit. It’d been a long journey to get free of Mike, but they finally had a new start. “Nope.”
“We don’t have to hide anymore?”
Cara gasped, fighting harder against the tears. “No, honey, we don’t.” She eased her arms around Lori, and the matchless comfort of the gesture swept through her.
She heard footsteps on the porch and looked up, not caring if Ephraim noticed her tears.
“Mrs. Forrester is gone.” He opened the screen door and walked inside. “She likes you. She said she wished all moms were as determined to take care of their little ones as you are.”
Cara laughed. “Who cares whether she likes me or not?”
His smile warmed her, and she rose to her feet. “You do, trust me.”
The puppy whined, and Ephraim let him in. Feeling years of heaviness fall from her body, Cara felt giddy. The desire to dance around the room pulsed through her.
Ephraim leaned against the counter. “Seems to me this deserves a celebration.”
Lori ran to the center of the room, Better Days nipping at her heels. “Let’s dance! One, two, three.” She clapped her hands as she said each number.
Cara laughed and hurried to her side. Better Days ran around them, barking. She and Lori hummed “My Girl” and clapped and danced a jig as they often did when the tiniest bit of good news came their way. They raised their arms and twirled, a tradition that cost them nothing but always made Lori happy. How long had it been since they’d danced and laughed? They twirled around and around, laughing and making their favorite wild moves with their bodies.
When the dance was through, they gave themselves a round of applause. But suddenly Lori darted behind her, causing her to glance up. Two men dressed in black stood beside Ephraim. When had they come in? Lori pressed her body against Cara’s leg, holding on tightly.
One man rubbed his chest. “In dei Heemet?” The man looked upset, and his voice wavered.
The older man pulled his stare from Cara. “Ephraim,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Kumm mus. Loss uns schwetze.”
Ephraim nodded, and the two men left the house.
He walked to Lori. “This is your home until we find something better suited to you with electricity and your own bedroom. No one is going to change that.” He placed his hand on her head. “Trust me?”
Lori released her firm grip on Cara’s leg, her body relaxing as she nodded.
The joy of a few minutes ago faded from Cara. “Is everything okay?”
“Ya. But I need to leave. I’ll sleep in the shop tonight. I don’t have time to start a cook fire. Can you?”
“Sure. Are you in trouble?”
“I’m not in trouble with the One who counts.”
“What?”
“For you, the police and Mrs. Forrester counted. We all have someone we don’t want to be in trouble with.”
She laughed. “Maybe you should take her somewhere extra nice.”
A puzzled look covered his face for a moment. “Oh, you think I meant…” He chuckled and tipped his hat. “Good night, ladies.”