Chapter 19: Sophie's Apology

Helen's POV

Tom took the car seat out of Sophie's hands and carried it in without a word.

"I'll sit with her in the front room," he said. "The kitchen's yours."

He set the seat on the rug by the lamp and lowered himself next to it.

The baby didn't wake.

Sophie sat down at the kitchen table, and I sat across from her.

She had cried in the car, I realized, and then stopped, and then rung the bell.

"Evan doesn't know I'm here," she said. "He thinks I'm at the pharmacy."

"Sophie, it's eight at night, and she's seven days old."

"I know. I couldn't do it at home."

She put both hands around the mug I gave her and did not drink.

"I want to tell you all of it, and I want you to let me finish."

"All right."

"At fifteen weeks I went to Dad's office to tell him I was pregnant."

She swallowed.

"He cried. I'd never seen him cry. Then he said he'd been wanting to talk to me about you."

I kept my face still.

"He said you were forgetting appointments, and you'd left the kettle on."

"I never did."

"He said if the state declared you unfit, they'd take the barn to pay for your care."

"And?"

"And the only way to stop it was for me to sign something saying I was worried."

Her voice dropped.

"Diane brought soup the next day and hugged me for a long time."

"What did she say?"

"She said, 'Your mother would be so ashamed to see you carry this.' She said it was our secret till you were ready."

My jaw ached from holding still.

"After that I started watching you," Sophie said.