Chapter 20: His Mother's Apology

Hannah's POV

Derek's mother stood on my porch at seven in the morning, and Ben opened the door in yesterday's shirt.

She looked at the shirt, and at his bare feet, and at him.

"Mr. Tolland," she said. "You look rested."

"Mrs. Marsden," Ben said, and I saw him decide not to explain.

I came down the stairs behind him with my hair in a knot.

I had slept three hours in a row, the most since the baby was born.

I did not apologize for that either.

"Hannah," she said. "I know it's early. I could not make it wait."

She held out the envelope.

"Please read it before church. Before anyone says anything to you."

I took her into the kitchen and put the kettle on.

Ben went to check on the baby, and she sat at my table with her hat in her lap.

She did not speak while I read.

It was three pages, typed and signed in black ink.

At the top it said: Sworn statement of Derek Marsden's mother, for Thursday's hearing on Derek's motion.

It said that Derek had asked her to take Maddie from after-care that Tuesday.

It said he had told her the girl "needed to see where she would be living."

It said she had done it, and she had known the court's order did not allow it.

It said she had done it because her son was crying and she believed him.

The last line said: I raised a son who was kind, and I do not know when he stopped being careful.

I put the pages down.

"You'll give this to the judge?" I asked.

"Thursday," she said. "Your lawyer has already called mine."

She looked up.

"I've lost my son twice. Once on Halloween, and once on the carpet in that restaurant."

"And?"

"I won't lose my granddaughter as well."

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