she’d mentioned that her dad owned Micky’s Motors downtown and paid her rent.
“Want to see the baby?” He led her into the living room; then he continued to the bottom of the stairs. “Candy Cane! Jakey! Lunch!”
He turned to see Leena leaning over and cooing at the baby.
He took the kids into the kitchen to eat but happened to glance back. Leena was kneeling in front of Rosette to see the baby but was staring up at Trey. Something about it made him do a double take.
Chapter Seven
It was Friday afternoon. Sarah felt like she’d been holding her breath all week, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She parked her car about a half mile from the Sinclair’s house, so it’d look like she was going to the beach. A light rain fell, but she started out anyway. Her raincoat would probably keep her dry. She didn’t really care one way or the other.
Sarah walked down the street, pausing across from the house. Neighbors had left roses and small crosses on the lawn. Amanda’s house was probably worse.
She didn’t think anyone would notice her standing here. She always thought of herself as Sarah Plain and Tall. That was a movie title from something she’d watched as a kid. It had been a few years old even then, and set back in the Western frontier, if she remembered right. The movie portrayed a man who was widowed and needed a new mom for his children. He found a woman who’d written a letter to him and described herself as plain and tall.
That was Sarah. She wasn’t ugly, simply unmemorable. She had never done much of anything to be noticed by anyone—until now.
It was clear the house was occupied, but no one came outside. She just wanted one tiny glimpse of the baby, but it was too dangerous. If she stuck around long, someone might notice her and ask questions.
~ ~ ~
“We’re thinking… Hope.” Rosette looked at Angel, who was holding the baby, and then toward Summer. So far, Summer continued to say she couldn’t take the baby, even though she was Amanda’s sister. Legally, Rosette had learned, Amanda couldn’t ever adopt a baby because she was a felon. It’d been something stupid she’d done a few years back, but it would follow her for the rest of her life.
Rosette glanced at Leena but waited another second before looking at Trey. They’d been hesitant to even discuss names after Jake’s initial suggestion, but the baby was now six days old.
“Maybe,” she added, “Hope Amanda Sinclair.”
“Didn’t Amanda…” Leena trailed off as the rest of them looked at her. She stole a glance at Trey.
He shook his head. “Ricky and Amanda were waiting to pick out a name together when he returned home. They thought they still had time.”
“Hope.” Angel turned the name around in her mouth, leaning closer to the baby. “That’s a pretty name…for such a beautiful little girl.”
That baby girl was drifting off to sleep, her tummy full and her eyelids drooping lower and lower.
“Jake suggested it.” Rosette wanted to keep the conversation going. It was becoming a strain to talk to so many people, and she was tired of rehashing the same conversations. She glanced at Leena, surprised that she wished Leena would go home. They’d been neighbors for several years. In the beginning, she had reached out to the younger woman, thinking they’d be friends. They were only five or so years apart in age. Despite Leena’s easy-going personality, the two of them didn’t connect. They were friendly. They talked here and there. But, despite Rosette’s invites, they hadn’t gone out together to a movie, lunch, or anything social—just an occasional large-group gathering at each other’s homes. Maybe that was enough.
“Rosette,” Trey said. “You could get that walk in while the baby’s sleeping.”
“Oh!” Angel looked up. “Good idea. It’s about time I got you out into some fresh air.”
Trey stood and Angel shifted to pass the baby to him. Rosette stood too,
“Want to see the baby?” He led her into the living room; then he continued to the bottom of the stairs. “Candy Cane! Jakey! Lunch!”
He turned to see Leena leaning over and cooing at the baby.
He took the kids into the kitchen to eat but happened to glance back. Leena was kneeling in front of Rosette to see the baby but was staring up at Trey. Something about it made him do a double take.
Chapter Seven
It was Friday afternoon. Sarah felt like she’d been holding her breath all week, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She parked her car about a half mile from the Sinclair’s house, so it’d look like she was going to the beach. A light rain fell, but she started out anyway. Her raincoat would probably keep her dry. She didn’t really care one way or the other.
Sarah walked down the street, pausing across from the house. Neighbors had left roses and small crosses on the lawn. Amanda’s house was probably worse.
She didn’t think anyone would notice her standing here. She always thought of herself as Sarah Plain and Tall. That was a movie title from something she’d watched as a kid. It had been a few years old even then, and set back in the Western frontier, if she remembered right. The movie portrayed a man who was widowed and needed a new mom for his children. He found a woman who’d written a letter to him and described herself as plain and tall.
That was Sarah. She wasn’t ugly, simply unmemorable. She had never done much of anything to be noticed by anyone—until now.
It was clear the house was occupied, but no one came outside. She just wanted one tiny glimpse of the baby, but it was too dangerous. If she stuck around long, someone might notice her and ask questions.
~ ~ ~
“We’re thinking… Hope.” Rosette looked at Angel, who was holding the baby, and then toward Summer. So far, Summer continued to say she couldn’t take the baby, even though she was Amanda’s sister. Legally, Rosette had learned, Amanda couldn’t ever adopt a baby because she was a felon. It’d been something stupid she’d done a few years back, but it would follow her for the rest of her life.
Rosette glanced at Leena but waited another second before looking at Trey. They’d been hesitant to even discuss names after Jake’s initial suggestion, but the baby was now six days old.
“Maybe,” she added, “Hope Amanda Sinclair.”
“Didn’t Amanda…” Leena trailed off as the rest of them looked at her. She stole a glance at Trey.
He shook his head. “Ricky and Amanda were waiting to pick out a name together when he returned home. They thought they still had time.”
“Hope.” Angel turned the name around in her mouth, leaning closer to the baby. “That’s a pretty name…for such a beautiful little girl.”
That baby girl was drifting off to sleep, her tummy full and her eyelids drooping lower and lower.
“Jake suggested it.” Rosette wanted to keep the conversation going. It was becoming a strain to talk to so many people, and she was tired of rehashing the same conversations. She glanced at Leena, surprised that she wished Leena would go home. They’d been neighbors for several years. In the beginning, she had reached out to the younger woman, thinking they’d be friends. They were only five or so years apart in age. Despite Leena’s easy-going personality, the two of them didn’t connect. They were friendly. They talked here and there. But, despite Rosette’s invites, they hadn’t gone out together to a movie, lunch, or anything social—just an occasional large-group gathering at each other’s homes. Maybe that was enough.
“Rosette,” Trey said. “You could get that walk in while the baby’s sleeping.”
“Oh!” Angel looked up. “Good idea. It’s about time I got you out into some fresh air.”
Trey stood and Angel shifted to pass the baby to him. Rosette stood too,
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