Left Behind, page 14
“The white one with the pink bow?”
Wiley pulled it off the shelf and dropped it in a shopping basket sitting on the floor. “What next? What color of kitty?”
And down the row they went, until Ava was almost giddy from the game and the growing pile in the cart.
“Now, do you want to pick out a dolly?” Wiley asked. “Here’s one with short red hair, and one with long brown hair, and… Oh wow! Look at what I see hiding back here on the shelf!”
He pulled aside a handful of dolls, revealing one with big blue eyes and blond curls, just like Ava. The doll was wearing a pink gingham dress and a petticoat with ruffles visible beneath the gingham hem.
“Her! Can she be my dolly?” Ava asked.
“Absolutely, but you have to pick her up yourself so she’ll know you chose her, just like I chose you.”
Ava reached for the doll with both hands as she lifted her off the shelf, looked the doll straight in the face, and then hugged her.
Wiley breathed a sigh of relief. So far, so good. He picked up the basket of toys and held out his hand.
“Let’s go pay Miss Georgia for all your clothes and toys, and then get something to eat, okay?”
Still clutching the doll, Ava nodded.
She was still clutching dolly when Wiley buckled her in the back seat. “Remember to tell me when you need to go to the bathroom, and we’ll find one.”
She nodded.
He paused. “Are you hungry?”
She nodded again.
He tweaked her nose. “I can’t hear you.”
She giggled. “Yes!”
“What do you like to eat, baby girl? What are your favorite foods?”
She shrugged. “I have mac and cheese in the blue box, and sometimes chicken nuggets.”
Wiley blinked. “Anything else?”
“Ummm, sometimes Miss Mattie gave me a pudding cup.”
“What about burgers and fries, or fried chicken, or soup, or mashed potatoes and meat loaf?”
“Oh, soup. Yeah, soup in a can.”
Wiley sighed. “Hot dogs?”
She frowned. “Maybe I’ve had those. Is that the weenie wrapped in bread sandwich?”
“Sort of. I know you have to like french fries.”
She frowned. “Corina only gives me her cold ones. I don’t like them so much.”
“Corina was an ass,” Wiley muttered.
Ava blinked, then grinned.
At that point, Wiley realized what he’d said, but it was too late to take it back.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t call people bad names. Even when they deserve it,” he said. “But you need to know right now that how you were treated was wrong, and I won’t let that happen again. None of us will. You have four big brothers who will always take care of you. Understand?”
She nodded.
“Good. Better be thinking of what you’re gonna name dolly. We can’t go around calling her dolly forever, right?”
Ava giggled.
Wiley brushed the top of her head, then shut the door to the back seat and got in the car. The best place he could think of to take her to eat on short notice was Granny’s Country Kitchen. It was the closest to home cooking in Jubilee, and if she was used to doing without, then stuffing a bunch of food in her belly all at once would only result in making her sick. But they’d figure it out after he got there.
They were pulling into the parking lot when he saw Linette and two other women walking toward the entrance. Talk about luck.
“Maybe we better leave dolly here,” he said as he helped Ava out.
“She’s taking a nap,” Ava said, and grabbed his hand as they headed up the steps and then into the café.
“Table for two, and we’re gonna need a booster seat,” Wylie said.
“Coming up,” the hostess said. She grabbed a menu and a booster from a stack by the door and led the way through the dining area.
Wylie knew Linette had seen them, but she was obviously giving them space and he purposefully didn’t look her way. When Ava came close to getting stepped on, he swooped her up into his arms and carried her the rest of the way across the floor, then settled her into the booster seat.
“How’s that, sugar?”
She smiled. “Good.”
He pulled his own chair as close to hers as he could, just in case, and then opened the menu.
“Let’s see what’s on the menu, okay?”
“I like mac and cheese in the blue box,” she reminded him.
He nodded. “I remember. We’ll make that at home, okay? They cook other things here. Okay, here’s chicken nuggets and french fries, and they won’t be cold. Wanna try those?”
“Yes.”
“And you can have bites of my stuff, too, just to see if you like it, and then we’ll know what not to buy at the supermarket.”
“Sometimes I went to the grocery store with Miss Mattie,” Ava said.
“Oh yeah? What all did Miss Mattie buy besides mac and cheese in the blue box?” Wiley asked.
“Umm, Coca-Cola in a can. Soup in a can. Burglar meat, and ciggies.”
Wiley didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Well, I don’t smoke, but we can get soup in a can and burglar meat. I know how to make meat loaf and hamburgers, and spaghetti sauce for spaghetti noodles.”
Her eyes widened. “I had s’gettie in a can before.”
“Mine’s better,” Wiley said. “Promise.”
She nodded.
The waitress arrived with two glasses of water, one of which was in a small paper cup with a lid and a straw. “Hey, Wiley, look at you. A new girl on your arm, already.”
“Hi, Diane, this is Ava,” he said. “Ava, this is Diane. She’s a cousin, so she’ll be part of your family now.”
Diane blinked. “Is this your girl?”
“Half sister. She’s living with me now.”
Ava didn’t look up. She just sipped some water through the straw in her to-go cup.
Diane’s eyes filled with tears and then she looked at Wiley. He winked and shook his head and gave her their food and drink orders.
“Okay then. I’ll turn these in. It shouldn’t be long,” she said, and hurried away.
Ava sat for a few moments, then leaned over and patted Wiley’s arm.
“Bubba, I need to go to the restroom now.”
“Okay, honey,” he said. He got up with her and took her across the dining room to the hall leading down to the restrooms. But almost immediately, he realized he didn’t know if she was tall enough to manage what was in there, or if it was safe to let her go in alone. Wiley was still debating with himself when Linette walked up behind him.
“Hey, you!” she said, and smiled at both of them.
Fabulous! Just when I needed her. “Linnie! Sweetheart! I need a favor. Ava needs to go to the bathroom, but I don’t know if it’s safe, or if she’s too small to reach everything. Can you check for me?”
Linette looked down at the tiny blond clinging to Wiley’s hand and smiled.
“Hello, Ava. I’m Wiley’s friend. How about you and I go in together and I can help if you need me. Would that be okay with you?”
Ava glanced up. “Are you Wiley’s almost wife?”
“I suppose I am,” Linette said, and took Ava’s hand as if it was something she did every day.
Wiley sighed. Ava was so used to being dumped on total strangers that she had no concept of stranger danger, which meant she would be a prime target for all kinds of things he hadn’t thought about, but Linette had just passed her first meeting with flying colors.
***
There were six stalls in the ladies’ room, and three were empty.
Linette quickly checked the height of the toilet stools and then opened a door for Ava. “Can you manage or is that seat too high?” she asked.
“I can manage,” Ava said.
“I’ll be in the one right next to you,” Linette said. “When you finish, just wait for me and we’ll wash up together, okay?”
“Okay,” Ava said, then went inside and pushed the door shut but didn’t lock it.
Linette hurried and was waiting when Ava emerged from the stall. “Oh…forgot to flush,” Ava said.
“It’s okay, honey. They automatically flush themselves,” Linette said.
“Really?” Ava asked.
Linette smiled. “Yes, really. Let’s get washed. We don’t want to keep Wiley waiting.”
“Bubba will wait. He’s gonna take good care of me.”
“Your Bubba is a really good man,” Linette said, and turned on the water for Ava to wash.
She thrust her little hands beneath the water and started talking. “Corina didn’t want me. Bubba does. I have four brothers now, and a bed and a pillow. Bubba bought me clothes today and a dolly. I never had a dolly before. I have to pick a name.”
The matter-of-fact tone in the child’s voice was as horrifying as what she’d just said, and Linette couldn’t begin to imagine what hell this child had been through. Her hands were shaking as she handed Ava a handful of paper towels to dry off.
“I’ll bet you pick the best name for your dolly ever,” Linette said, and then opened the door.
Wiley was standing in the hall. They locked gazes. Linette handed Ava over without a word, then put her hand in the middle of Wiley’s chest.
“You rock, and so does she,” she whispered, then brushed the hair away from Ava’s eyes and walked away.
Wiley felt like he’d just been struck by lightning. Thank you, God, that Linnie didn’t balk on us. Then Ava reached for his hand and pulled him back to earth. They went back to their table and settled in, and a few minutes later, their food arrived. He wished Linette was sitting with them, helping him through this transition, but one thing at a time. Nothing mattered today but Ava, so he put a tiny bite of his meat loaf on her plate and a spoonful of mashed potatoes and gravy, while Ava watched in silence.
“Those are little bites so you can taste my stuff and see if you like any of it,” he said.
Ava nodded, then immediately put a chicken nugget and three french fries from her plate onto his.
“And you can taste mine,” she said.
“Thank you, baby. We’re sharing, right?”
She almost smiled. “Yes,” she said, and as soon as he popped a french fry in his mouth and rolled his eyes at how good it was, she picked one up from her plate and took a nibble. Then another, and another until the whole french fry was gone.
“That’s good,” she said. “I like them when they’re not cold.”
“Right,” Wiley said, and took a bite of his meat loaf and rolled his eyes again. “Mmm, good stuff,” he said.
Ava scooped up her bite of meat loaf with a spoon and cautiously slipped it in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
“So?” Wiley asked.
“I like it!” she said, and ate the mashed potatoes and gravy next. “And this, too,” she said.
“Awesome. You can taste a green bean, too, if you want,” he said, and pushed his plate close so she could fork one, then watched the expression on her face change from distrust to delight.
“You choose good stuff!” Ava said, and took a bite of a chicken nugget.
“Do you like to dip your chicken in a sauce?” he asked.
“I don’t know? What’s a sauce?”
“My gravy is a sauce.” He spooned a little on her plate, then opened a honey packet on the table and squirted a tiny bit on her plate. “Swipe your next bite of chicken through one of those before you eat it, and then tell me what you think.”
Ava didn’t hesitate. She was used to doing what she was told and completely unaware she had choices in the world. She tried the gravy first and gave him a thumbs-up, then swiped the last bite of nugget through the honey.
Wiley watched her eyes widen as she chewed and swallowed.
“I like both of them, but the last one best!” she said.
“Want some more of my meat loaf?” he asked.
He gave her one more bite, and then they both settled in to eat, while every now and then stopping for him to wipe a drip of honey from her chin or remind her the napkin was handy for wiping her fingers.
By the time they were finished, Wiley had fallen the rest of the way in love. He knew there were bound to be rough days ahead, but considering they had known each other less than a day, this child was a gift to all of them. They still needed to go to the supermarket, and he had a feeling she was going to crash long before dark, so he hurried through cleaning her hands and face and paying the bill.
Only after they were leaving, did he glance across the room at the table where Linette was sitting, and caught her watching them. She blew him a kiss. He gave her a thumbs-up, and then they were gone.
One of Linette’s friends saw the byplay between them and grinned.
“Who’s the hunk?”
“Wiley Pope. He’s my hunk and a police officer here in Jubilee.”
“Is he the one who sent the flowers?” she asked.
Linette nodded.
Her other friend frowned. “But it appears he’s married, or was.”
“She’s not his daughter. She’s his little sister. End of story.”
***
After Wiley’s phone call from the police station, Shirley knew their lives were about to change. She was in a walking cast now and finally mobile again, so she headed for Sean’s office. The door was open. She knocked.
“Got a minute?” she asked.
Sean immediately stopped and turned around. “Sure, Mom. What’s up?”
“This,” she said, and showed Sean the photo and then told him about Wiley’s call.
“Holy shit! Are you serious?” Sean said. “Who the hell is Corina Dalton?”
Shirley sighed. “One of Clyde’s women.”
“You knew?” Sean asked.
Shirley rolled her eyes. “Son, a woman always knows if her husband is cheating on her, and vice versa. But I had no idea there was a child. I don’t know details, and I never expected Wiley would react as he has, but I’m proud of him. I told him I would back any choice he made. Look at her. She’s so tiny and looks half-starved. God only knows what her life has been like, but I can tell you now, her days of want are over.”
“You know Amalie is going to immediately empathize. One unwanted child to another kind of thing,” Sean added.
Shirley nodded. “I don’t know how Wiley thinks he’s going to manage, but I’m not butting in with any advice unless he asks for it. He’ll find his own way through this decision, and they’ll both be the better for it.”
***
Aaron was still reeling from Corina Dalton’s initial accusation. Those few seconds before Wiley spoke up had been every man’s nightmare, to be unjustly accused of any kind of abuse or mistreatment of a woman or a child. Thank God for Wiley!
He was shocked by his brother’s instant decision to become their sister’s guardian, but immeasurably proud of him, too. When he called home, he unloaded the whole story on Dani before heading out on patrol.
Dani was stunned.
“And you had no idea?” she said.
“No. If it hadn’t been for Wiley, this could have gotten nasty. Honestly, I’ve never seen a more coldhearted woman. God only knows what that child has been through.”
“How old is she?” Dani asked.
“Seven, according to her birth certificate, but she’s no bigger than a five-year-old. She’s malnourished and scared of her own shadow. Wiley took one look at her and turned into some superhero on her behalf. I’ve never seen him like this, but I think he’s found his calling.”
“That’s wonderful, but it’s going to be hard for him, too. We can all help. When school starts again, she can come home with me until he gets off work, and I’ll be there at school for any problems that might arise. She’s your little sister, which makes her mine, too. We all have his back.”
“He’s going to need it. And the chief has already put him on days with weekends off, except for emergencies.”
“That’s really good of Chief Warren,” Dani said.
“I’ve never seen the chief so pissed,” Aaron said. “He was about ready to throw the book at her for intent to commit fraud and for child abuse and neglect when Wiley waded in with a solution. The deal was that I wouldn’t press charges if she’d relinquish her parental rights to him. She signed those papers so fast it made our heads spin, and never even looked back at her daughter asleep in Wiley’s lap when she left. All I have to say is Clyde met his match when he hooked up with her.”
“I’m sorry,” Dani said.
“Don’t be. It’s a miracle we found out she even existed. But if Wiley has anything to say about it, she’s lived her last day of need or want. I’ve got to go. Talk to you later. Love you, honey.”
“Love you, too,” Dani said.
***
Unaware that his family was already making plans to help him, Wiley and Ava were in the supermarket, going up and down the aisles, looking for mac and cheese in the blue box and soup in a can, as well as kid-friendly foods he guessed she would eat.
Getting to pick out her own box of cereal was such a big deal to Ava that she teared up. Going home with ice cream was unheard of. She’d never had options. She’d never been asked to make a choice. She’d just done what she was told. Ate what she was given, and had learned a long time ago that her life was easier if people forgot about her, but right now, everything happening to her felt like a dream. Corina had never wanted her and told her so on a daily basis. Then her brothers found out about her, and they wanted her, and Wiley called Corina an ass, then gave Ava a pink bedroom with her own bed and pillow. They were standing in the cookie aisle, looking at all the choices when Ava reached for Wiley’s hand.
Wiley looked down. “You can pick out what kind of cookies we take home.”
“Are you gonna keep me?” she asked.
The fear was back in her eyes. Without saying a word, he picked her up, settled her on his hip so she could see the cookies on the top shelves, too, and hugged her.
“Yes, baby. All the way to grown-up and forever.”
“What if you change your mind?” she whispered.
“But you don’t change your mind about people you love. I love that you’re my little sister. I want to take care of you. I want to keep you safe. I don’t ever want you hurt again. We’re partners, you and me.” He reached for a package of chocolate sandwich cookies, and put them in the shopping cart.
