The Healing Place by Leigh Bale

tidy and this roast is so tender.” For some reason, she wanted to help him realize he really was doing wonderful work with Angie. Emma wished her ex-husband had been as kind and diligent as Mark.
    “You’re good with Angie, too. You’d make a great mother.” The minute he said the words, he flushed and shut his mouth.
    She froze, feeling her face drain of color. She was a mother! His words were a reminder of all she had lost. And yet, she wished she could be a mother again.
    “Emma, I didn’t mean I want you to—” He bit back the words.
    “Of course, I understand.” She hurried to her feet and reached for the dirty dishes. “Well, it’s getting late.”
    “You don’t need to do that.” He stood and tried to take the plates from her.
    “Don’t be silly.” She brushed past him. “You can’t stick your injured hand in a sink full of hot water to wash these dishes. It’ll take a day for the pain to subside.”
    He chuckled. “I usually cheat and pop them into the dishwasher.”
    “Some of them will have to be scrubbed. If Angie comes back, I’ll let her help.”
    “That’s what I meant, Emma.” He followed her into the kitchen, carrying the salad bowl with his uninjured hand. “You’re so good with Angie. She seems to listen to you more than she does me. I wish I had your magic touch.”
    She hesitated. “I’m sure she misses her mother, so she pays more attention when a woman’s around. But there’s no doubt she loves you, Mark.”
    She turned on the faucet and rinsed the dishes. He stood beside her, taking the plates and glasses one by one and placing them in the dishwasher. With his shoulder brushing against hers, a companionable silence settled over them. She felt as though she had come home after being gone a very long time.
    “Thanks for being here tonight, Emma. Even before the divorce, Denise was too busy with her new boyfriend.”
    “Boyfriend?”
    “Yeah. You know Denise.” He put the salt and pepper shakers in the cupboard.
    Yes, she knew Denise.
    He released a deep sigh. “She never wanted a baby. When she found out she was pregnant with Angie, she wanted to get rid of it, but I talked her out of it. When Angie lost her hair, she claimed she was too embarrassed to be seen out in public with her own daughter.”
    That explained Angie’s self-consciousness over her bald head.
    “I’m so sorry, Mark.”
    He shrugged. “Yeah, me, too. It wouldn’t be so bad if Denise came to visit Angie once in a while.”
    “She doesn’t visit her daughter?”
    He shook his head.
    Emma’s eyes widened. “Not at all?”
    Again, he shook his head. “I’ve tried to reach her numerous times, but I don’t have a phone number for her anymore. I usually end up leaving a message with her mother.” He shrugged. “Who knows if she delivers the messages to Denise or not?”
    Anger caused Emma to stiffen her shoulders. “I can’t comprehend how Denise could turn her back on her own child. How could she abandon such a sweet, beautiful girl like Angie? I’d give anything in the world if I could—”
    Tears filled her eyes and she ducked her head, the water from the faucet rushing over her trembling hands. She didn’t move for several moments, trying to regain her composure. She bit the inside of her mouth, crushing the words she had been ready to blurt.
    Inhaling a deep breath, he let it out slowly. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Emma.”
    She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
    He gave her a soothing smile. “It’s been good for Angie to have a woman in the house, treating her with patience and kindness. That’s what being a woman is all about.”
    Emma didn’t look up. His praise both humbled and surprised her. Her ex-husband had never said such things to her. Instead he’d found plenty to criticize. Nothing she did ever seemed right.
    “What about you, Emma?” Mark waited while she lifted her head and her gaze locked with his. “Tell me about you and David.”
    Hurt flashed through