Baby Doll(38)

Abby stood in the foyer, the frenzied crowd outside still audible. Her grandparents nervously hovered in the kitchen. Lily was still trying to console Sky, who was screaming, “I wanna go home. I want Daddy Rick.” Each scream pierced Abby’s heart: tiny, little pricks over and over again. Mom sank down beside Lily.

“This was too much for her. We should get Sky back to the hospital. I’ll call Dr. Amari.”

Lily adamantly shook her head. “No! No doctors. She’ll be fine. I just need a few minutes to calm her down. I know I can calm her down.”

The wails continued, and no one else moved or spoke. Mom stood, clutching her neck as if it might fall right off her shoulders. Wes hovered near the door, and Abby willed him to turn around and walk out. But he didn’t. He was staring at Lily as if she were an endangered bird and he was the savior tasked with rescuing her. Lily still hadn’t noticed him. She was too busy rubbing Sky’s back and soothing her with calm words, her voice soft and melodic.

“You’re going to love it here, Chicken. We’re going to be so happy. You trust Mommy, don’t you? This is where I grew up and where you’ll live now. We’re going to be so happy. I promise you that.”

Lily kept whispering the same thing over and over until it took on a chant-like quality. Abby wanted to believe Lily’s words more than anything.

Before long, just like Lily had promised, Sky grew calmer, her body relaxing. Her eyes began to flutter closed, and she drifted off. Lily’s gaze traveled the room. Abby held her breath, wondering what Lily would say when she saw Wes, but Lily was focused on her grandparents, nervously huddled in the kitchen. Lily gently settled Sky onto the sofa, then rushed over to them and they enveloped her.

Grandma and Grandpa Forster were solid midwestern people, never shy about expressing their affection. They covered Lily with kisses and hugs, their voices booming as they told her how much they’d missed her. There was no hesitation on their part, no reluctance. They didn’t consider that Lily might not be ready for this much affection. Abby worried that it would upset Lily, that it would be too much, but Lily soaked up their adoration.

After their well wishes, Lily broke away and turned to Meme, their paternal grandmother. When they were little, Dad wanted them to call his mother Mee-maw, but neither one of them could say it properly, and Meme had stuck.

Time hadn’t been kind to Meme. She’d suffered a double loss—first Lily and then her son in a three-month span. She had never been the same, her heart shattered beyond repair. Bent over, clutching her walker, her portable oxygen tank resting on the seat, her face lit up, reminding Lily of the ballroom dancing photos she’d seen when Meme was young. Lily towered over the older woman, and had to bend down to gently wipe the tears from Meme’s wrinkled face.

“I missed you, sweet girl. I missed you so much.”

“It’s okay, Meme. It’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m right here. I missed you too…”

“Davey is looking down on you, Lily. My boy is smiling so darn hard right now, and he’s wrapping those big, strong arms around you. Around both his girls.”

Abby didn’t believe in any of that higher-power God bullshit. But just this once, she hoped Meme was right. Maybe her father was out there somewhere, witnessing this reunion. Lily finally turned around, her gaze landing on Wes, who was still hovering in the doorway. Lily pushed her long blond hair out of her eyes and moved to him. In that instant, Abby knew that Lily hadn’t forgotten Wes. If anything, Lily’s feelings, like her life, had remained frozen in time.

“Wes, I can’t believe it’s you. That you’re here. I… I never thought I’d see you again.”

Abby was consumed with regret as she watched Wes move to hug Lily. She flinched almost imperceptibly. Abby wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed, but she wondered if Lily was preparing for a blow to the head or a punch to the gut—the kind of punishments Rick doled out. But Lily must have sensed that Wes would never harm her, because she let him hold on to her. Abby saw how perfectly they fit together. She couldn’t help but wonder if Wes noticed how slim and lovely Lily was, how good she looked in spite of everything she’d endured.

Abby sank down onto the sofa. Why hadn’t she thought about this moment all those years ago when she’d begged Wes to kiss her? When she’d slept with him over and over again? Why hadn’t she believed more in Lily? She’d told everyone she met that her sister wasn’t dead, and yet she’d still taken what Lily loved most.

Wes finally pulled away from Lily. He nervously cleared his throat. “Lily, we have to tell you something.”

Lily stepped back. No one moved. Abby jumped up from the sofa, eyeing her mother. Please. Make him stop, she pleaded silently. Thankfully, Mom stepped forward.

“Wes, now is not the time.”

“Abby, we can’t do this. Lily needs the truth.”

Abby wanted to murder him. She literally couldn’t believe he was doing this.

“Wes, please. We’ll talk later. When things have calmed down.”

Lily glanced back and forth between Wes and Abby. “Talk about what? Abby, what’s going on?”

Abby opened her mouth, but no words came out. Wes reached for Abby’s hand.

“We’re together, Lily. Abby and I are together…”

Abby jerked away from his touch. “He’s wrong. We’re not together. We were…”