certainly didn’t intend to answer.
“I’m fine. Gracie’s fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner, but there hasn’t been a chance.”
“Nonsense.”
Liz’s sharp-tongued retort was typical. When Anna had first gone to work at the restaurant, she’d been more than a little scared of the woman. Liz had been a server at Antonio’s for as long as the restaurant had been in business, and she didn’t put up with slackers or sass.
Since Anna had worked hard and kept her mouth shut, Liz had had no complaint. She’d proved herself to be a true friend during the rough times.
“I’ve thought about you often, but things have been complicated.”
Liz couldn’t know how complicated. How good it would be to sit in Liz’s cozy living room right now, feet up, eating popcorn and watching an old movie on television. That had been their favorite evening in, since Anna couldn’t afford a babysitter and a trip to the movie theater.
“You can always find time to pick up the phone,” Liz said, but there was affection under the tart words. “You sure that baby’s okay?”
“She’s doing great. Trying to walk, babbling all the time. She likes it here.”
“So where is here? You haven’t told me yet where you are.”
Liz always came to the point. Anna didn’t want to lie—probably couldn’t lie. Liz knew her about as well as Leah did. Maybe better, in some ways.
“It’s best if you don’t know. Then you won’t have to lie if Pete asks you.”
“I don’t mind lying to Pete,” Liz said easily. “But maybe you’re right, at that. If I don’t know, I can’t make a slip. And Pete’s been making a pest of himself.”
Anna’s stomach tightened. She’d been telling herself that Pete would have given up by now, but she knew that underneath, she’d been afraid of this. “What did he do? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“He did not. He knows I’d see his sorry self in jail before he could count to three if he laid a finger on me. Honest, sweetie, that’s what you should have done instead of running away.”
“Maybe so.” But she wasn’t like Liz. For all the bravado she’d shown when she left home, she had an innate reluctance to make a fuss, to draw attention to herself, and above all, to go to the law.
Amish didn’t go to the law to solve their problems. If they were harassed too much to ignore, they’d move on rather than fight.
“Well, it was your choice. If you need money—”
“No, nothing like that.” Anna knew perfectly well that Liz had little to spare. “I just want to know what Pete’s been up to.”
“Hanging out around the restaurant, ’til Antonio got fed up and threatened to call the cops. That made him back off, but he’s talked to everyone you know, trying to find out where you’ve gone.”
Her heart sank. “I hoped he’d forgotten about us. Maybe he really does care about Gracie.”
“Well, he had a funny way of showing it if he did.” Liz had a core of solid common sense, and it showed. “Knocking Jannie around the way he did, and then cutting out on her when she needed him the most. You take my word for it—this is just a whim. He thinks he wants the baby because he can’t have her. That’s Pete all over, always wanting what he can’t have.”
“I hope you’re right.” Prayed she was right.
Pete’s sudden interest in Gracie was the one twist Anna had never expected. He’d signed the relinquishment papers giving up his parental rights before Gracie was born, doing it with a sneer and a cutting comment. Why did he have to come back?
Anna rubbed her forehead tiredly. She’d better wind this up before she ran out of coins.
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Liz said. “He’s either going to lose interest because it’s too much work to go on looking, or he’s going to end up in jail again for dealing. Either way, you don’t need to be afraid of him.”
“I’ll try not to. Thanks, Liz. I hate to cut this short, but my ride’s probably
“I’m fine. Gracie’s fine. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner, but there hasn’t been a chance.”
“Nonsense.”
Liz’s sharp-tongued retort was typical. When Anna had first gone to work at the restaurant, she’d been more than a little scared of the woman. Liz had been a server at Antonio’s for as long as the restaurant had been in business, and she didn’t put up with slackers or sass.
Since Anna had worked hard and kept her mouth shut, Liz had had no complaint. She’d proved herself to be a true friend during the rough times.
“I’ve thought about you often, but things have been complicated.”
Liz couldn’t know how complicated. How good it would be to sit in Liz’s cozy living room right now, feet up, eating popcorn and watching an old movie on television. That had been their favorite evening in, since Anna couldn’t afford a babysitter and a trip to the movie theater.
“You can always find time to pick up the phone,” Liz said, but there was affection under the tart words. “You sure that baby’s okay?”
“She’s doing great. Trying to walk, babbling all the time. She likes it here.”
“So where is here? You haven’t told me yet where you are.”
Liz always came to the point. Anna didn’t want to lie—probably couldn’t lie. Liz knew her about as well as Leah did. Maybe better, in some ways.
“It’s best if you don’t know. Then you won’t have to lie if Pete asks you.”
“I don’t mind lying to Pete,” Liz said easily. “But maybe you’re right, at that. If I don’t know, I can’t make a slip. And Pete’s been making a pest of himself.”
Anna’s stomach tightened. She’d been telling herself that Pete would have given up by now, but she knew that underneath, she’d been afraid of this. “What did he do? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“He did not. He knows I’d see his sorry self in jail before he could count to three if he laid a finger on me. Honest, sweetie, that’s what you should have done instead of running away.”
“Maybe so.” But she wasn’t like Liz. For all the bravado she’d shown when she left home, she had an innate reluctance to make a fuss, to draw attention to herself, and above all, to go to the law.
Amish didn’t go to the law to solve their problems. If they were harassed too much to ignore, they’d move on rather than fight.
“Well, it was your choice. If you need money—”
“No, nothing like that.” Anna knew perfectly well that Liz had little to spare. “I just want to know what Pete’s been up to.”
“Hanging out around the restaurant, ’til Antonio got fed up and threatened to call the cops. That made him back off, but he’s talked to everyone you know, trying to find out where you’ve gone.”
Her heart sank. “I hoped he’d forgotten about us. Maybe he really does care about Gracie.”
“Well, he had a funny way of showing it if he did.” Liz had a core of solid common sense, and it showed. “Knocking Jannie around the way he did, and then cutting out on her when she needed him the most. You take my word for it—this is just a whim. He thinks he wants the baby because he can’t have her. That’s Pete all over, always wanting what he can’t have.”
“I hope you’re right.” Prayed she was right.
Pete’s sudden interest in Gracie was the one twist Anna had never expected. He’d signed the relinquishment papers giving up his parental rights before Gracie was born, doing it with a sneer and a cutting comment. Why did he have to come back?
Anna rubbed her forehead tiredly. She’d better wind this up before she ran out of coins.
“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Liz said. “He’s either going to lose interest because it’s too much work to go on looking, or he’s going to end up in jail again for dealing. Either way, you don’t need to be afraid of him.”
“I’ll try not to. Thanks, Liz. I hate to cut this short, but my ride’s probably
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