Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(55)

“I … I …”

Darlene walked to the front door and held open the screen door. “You listen, Ms. Goetz, if I hear any rumors about my granddaughter sleeping around I’ll know where they got started. So you better not be saying anything about my Ava, understand?”

“Of course … I wouldn’t.”

“Now it’s time for you to go.”

Lydia reached for her purse and stood. “I understand. I apologize; I didn’t mean to upset you, Mrs. Carmichael.”

“I’ve met busybodies like you before, sticking your nose into everyone’s business, pretending to be all neighborly,” she said, frowning all the while. “Bringing cookies … well, you can take that plate back home with you. We don’t want them and we don’t need them. Most likely Ava would eat the whole plate herself and then you’d be telling me she’s giving birth to twins.”

Lydia walked out of the house. She paused and turned around and saw that Darlene was still standing in the doorway as if she wanted to be sure Lydia didn’t linger.

“Mrs. Carmichael, if you … if you find out differently about Ava, please feel free to call me. I want to help.”

Darlene’s scowl deepened. “I believe you’ve already done more than enough.”

With a heavy heart, Lydia drove back to the house. Both Brad and Casey were waiting for her when she walked into the kitchen.

“Well?” Casey asked.

“How’d it go?” Brad asked.

No need to sugarcoat the truth. “It was dreadful, just dreadful,” she whispered. Lydia had felt sorry for Ava before, but now that she’d seen her home life, she felt like weeping. Tuesday she’d talk to Libby and see what the two of them could do to help poor, sweet Ava.

Chapter 21

Libby walked into A Good Yarn fifteen minutes after ten. She didn’t want to appear overly eager but she was excited about talking to Ava. It had taken real courage for the teenager to contact her. While progress had been slow, she could see that they were making headway.

“Morning,” Libby greeted as she entered the store. Her gaze automatically went to the back of the shop, where Casey and Ava generally hung out. The table was empty.

“I’m so glad you’re here early,” Lydia said, coming around the front counter and taking Libby’s hands in her own. Dark shadows appeared under her eyes as though she hadn’t slept well.

“Lydia, what happened?”

The other woman looked like she was about to break into tears. “Oh, Libby, I think I made a terrible mistake.” She started toward the back of the store and into the office where she kept a microwave. She filled the teapot with water and set it inside, then pushed the button to heat the water.

“I’ll feel better with a cup of tea.” She automatically brought down two cups.

“Where are Casey and Ava?” The pregnant teenager had told Libby she would be at the yarn store on Tuesday and now there was no evidence of either girl.

“I know, I know. Ava was at the house yesterday afternoon,” Lydia explained. “She stayed in Casey’s bedroom most of the day, crying her eyes out.”

“Why, what happened?” Libby was immediately alarmed.

“I think your talk with her … the day you took her to lunch …”

“Yes. Did I do anything to upset Ava?”

“No … no, it wasn’t anything you did. Frankly, I don’t think Ava realized she was pregnant until you told her.”

“I was afraid of that.” Clearly Ava was several months along. In discussing the matter with Phillip, he thought she might even be heading into her eighth month. The baby must be growing and moving.

“And now she’s frightened to death. Her biggest fear isn’t for her own well-being or even that of the baby. She seems most concerned about what her grandmother will do once she finds out.”

“Oh, no.” Libby felt dreadful and wondered what she could do to help.

“Casey pleaded with me to go over to Ava’s grandmother’s house and talk to her,” Lydia continued. “Casey was convinced that once Darlene Carmichael knew about the baby the worst would be over. She thought Ava could then get the medical attention she needs. All the poor girl could do was worry about hiding the pregnancy from her grandmother.”

Libby already knew what was coming. “You told the grandmother, didn’t you?”

“I tried. It wasn’t a job I relished. I talked it over with Brad and we both felt I should probably be the one. Ava trusts you but you’ve never met Darlene Carmichael and we thought she’d probably take the news better from me than from someone she’d never met.”

Libby agreed. “How’d it go?”

The microwave beeped and Lydia shook her head. “I doubt it could have gone much worse.”

“Oh dear.”

Lydia removed the teapot and then added two tea bags, which she allowed to steep. Carrying the ceramic pot to the table, she set it down next to the empty cups.

“Oh, Libby, you can’t imagine how awful it was,” Lydia said. “I brought a plate of cookies and if I hadn’t I don’t think Darlene would have even let me in the house. Ava mentioned that her grandmother is upset because she thinks she’s getting fat, so that was the way I approached her.”