“I wish you’d change your mind and come with us. Jennie is going to be so disappointed. So will Mom and Aunt Bonnie.”
Anne nearly caved in at the mention of Brad’s daughter, but she managed to stay strong. Of course, it helped to be having the conversation on the phone. When Brad was with her, it was so much harder.
She’d save them both a lot of heartache if she would just muster up the strength to cut things off and stop seeing Brad completely. But she couldn’t do it. He and Jennie were much too important to her. She wanted to carry as many memories of them as possible with her when she took off. Maybe memories would help her get through the lonely years ahead. Maybe not. The night at the play rehearsal three weeks ago had driven it home to her. She’d fallen in love with Brad.
A shiver went through her whenever she remembered how he’d looked at her that night. Incredibly, he seemed to love her, too. Oh man, she hadn’t wanted it to happen. After the loss of her baby, she’d built a wall around her emotions so she’d never have to experience the pain of loving and losing again. Brad had slipped past her defenses and gently torn down the barriers with his sweet smile and gentle ways.
But she couldn’t tell him. She had to keep him at arm’s length so he wouldn’t even suspect it. He and Jennie would be hurt by her leaving, but they’d be alive. If she caved in and stayed, Jeffrey might harm them to get back at her. She couldn’t let it happen. In order to protect them, she’d leave. It would only be a couple more weeks at the most.
She would love to accept the invitation to spend Easter with them. It would be so much fun to color eggs with Jennie and see the precious little girl all dressed up in the frilly dress Brad had bought for her. But not at his parents’ house. His mother and aunt would take one glance at her and would sense something was wrong. Women just knew those things. She couldn’t risk it.
“Brad, I can’t. I told you I already promised Myra and Ed I’d go to Easter services and have dinner with them. They’ve been so good to me since I came to Grandville, I just can’t disappoint them. I’m sorry…”
“No, no. It’s my fault for not asking you earlier than last week. I just assumed…” Brad’s voice trailed off, and the disappointment in his tone tugged at Anne’s heartstrings.
“Well, I won’t make the mistake again. I’m inviting you right this minute to join us at my family’s lake house for their Fourth of July party,” he said.
“Fourth of July? Isn’t it a little early to start making those plans?” she asked, hoping he didn’t notice her evasion.
“I’m not taking any chances. So mark it in your appointment calendar, Ms. Brown. And while you’re at it, put down Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas, too.”
Anne giggled at his playfulness. “Brad!”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re already booked up for those holidays.”
“No, but I—”
“Good, then it’s a date,” he said. “But I still wish you’d—”
“Wish your family Happy Easter for me, will you?” Anne paced the length of her kitchen and concentrated on keeping her tone light and cheery.
“Will do,” he promised. “You do the same for me with Myra and Ed.”
“Of course. Have a safe drive, Brad.”
“Will do,” he said again. “Can I call you on Saturday?”
“Of course. And make sure you take lots of pictures of Jennie at the Easter egg hunt for me. And some of her in her Easter outfit, too.”
He laughed “It would be easier if you just came along and—”
“Goodbye, Brad.”
“Fine. I’ll take plenty of pictures, and I’ll text some to you. But you can’t fault a guy for trying.”
“Well, you are very trying,” Anne teased then glanced at her watch. “You should get on the road if you want to avoid the rush hour traffic.”
“Wait a minute. Jennie says she needs to talk to you. Here she is.”
A moment later, the child’s voice came on the line. “Miss Anne?”
“Hi, Jennie. Are you excited about your trip to your grandparents’ house?”
“Uh-huh. But it would be more fun if you were coming.”
“I wish I could, sweetie, but I already made plans with Mrs. Hodges and her husband.”
“I know. Daddy told me,” the little girl said. “It’s why I asked to talk to you. I want you to come to my piano recital. It’s special for Mother’s Day, and since my mommy is in Heaven now, I need you to come.”
Anne took a deep breath. Mother’s Day was the week after Jeffrey’s earliest release date. She hated to make a promise to the child and not be able to keep it. “Jennie, I’ll put it on my calendar, but I might have to—”
“Oh, please, Miss Anne,” the child pleaded. “It’s my very first recital, and I’m really, really scared. I’ve never played in front of other people before. It would make me feel a lot better if you were there to cheer for me.”
“Sweetheart, you’re going to do just fine. You and Mrs. McGuire have worked on your piece together for so long you could play it with your eyes closed.”
“But everyone else will have a mom in the audience to cheer for them,” the little girl said in a sad voice that tugged at Anne’s heart. “But I won’t. I’d feel so much better if you were there. Please.”
Swallowing hard against the lump that suddenly clogged her throat, Anne nodded. “I’ll be there, Jennie. I promise. Whatever it takes, I’ll be there.”
****
Anne spent the next ten days sorting through the things in her apartment, deciding what she would take with her and what to give to friends or donate to Goodwill. She’d arrived in Grandville with little more than the clothes on her back, but now she eyed the growing piles of belongs and realized she’d gotten much too lax. If she’d kept her belongings to a bare minimum, leaving would not have been this complicated.
Remember that for the future, she thought as she considered a rose pink sweater she’d recently bought. Should she take it with her or leave it? It would help if she had any idea where she was heading since she wouldn’t need heavy, winter clothes if she ended up down south. But Brad had liked this sweater. When she’d worn it, his eyes had lit up, and he’d called it sexy. Anne closed her eyes and hugged the sweater tightly as she remembered the long kiss that had accompanied his proclamation.
When she opened her eyes, she took a deep breath then put the sweater on the discard pile.