Chapter 7: Mother

Margaret Harrow came a day early.

She walked into the hospital room in a long camel coat, with her silver-streaked hair pinned back and no luggage.

Elise had not seen her mother in four months.

Margaret stopped at the foot of the bed.

She looked at the thin face on the pillow. Then she looked at the purple marks on Elise's arm.

"Who did that?"

"It's nothing, Mom."

"I asked who."

"Calvin's cousin," Elise said. "She grabbed me and then fell down, so he thinks I shoved her."

Margaret's jaw set.

"I told you to make them hold a wedding," she said. "I told you the Kenyons only respect what they're forced to respect."

"And I told you I didn't want a wedding that I had to beg for."

"You called me a bully."

"You called me spineless."

They stared at each other.

Jodie, in the chair by the window, put a hand over her mouth.

Margaret's eyes dropped to the baby in the bassinet. She went still.

"Is that her?"

Elise nodded.

Margaret crossed the room, bent down and lifted the baby out with both hands.

She held her carefully, with one hand under the small head.

The baby opened her eyes and looked at her.

"She has your chin," Margaret said. Her voice cracked. "She has your father's chin."

Elise's eyes stung. She looked away at the window.

"Mom, I'm sorry about the things I said."

"Don't be," Margaret said. "I said worse. I thought if I pushed hard enough, you'd have a spine."

"I do now," Elise said. "I slapped him in front of a full ballroom."

Margaret looked up. For the first time, the corner of her mouth moved.

"Jodie told me. She also sent me the video of him asking you for milk."

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