Chapter 12
The house staff had voiced their concerns and suggested that Jeannette should wear a uniform while working.
Jeannette refused.
:
At the time, Blanche thought it was understandable–Jeannette was young, valued her freedom, and didn’t like being confined. She even told the staff not to gossip about it behind Jeannette’s
back.
Looking back now, the whole thing seemed ridiculous.
Healy tugged at her arm, snapping Blanche out of her thoughts. She met his pleading, watery
eyes.
“No one told Ms. Lauren what you like, so of course she didn’t do things the way you wanted,” Blanche explained gently. “But you’re five years old now. You should be able to squeeze your own toothpaste. If there’s something she doesn’t know, you can tell her.”
Healy pouted, mumbling in protest. Even though Dad had told him not to mention Miss Jean in front of Mom, he still missed her–she was really wonderful, and he’d already started missing her after just one night apart.
“When Miss Jean was here, she always knew what I wanted without me even having to say anything.”
“That’s just because Ms. Lauren is clueless!”
A flicker of surprise crossed Blanche’s eyes.
Why did Jeannette know Healy so well? Had Eddy told her?
“Don’t talk about people behind their backs,” Blanche said, making it clear she didn’t want to discuss it further. “It’s time for you to go to bed.”
But Healy clung to her, refusing to get off. “Mom, sleep with me tonight. Tell me a story.”
When Jeannette was around, Blanche would sometimes want to stay with Healy, but he’d always turn her away.
Now that Jeannette was gone, suddenly he remembered his own mother.
“You’re growing up. You need to learn to fall asleep on your own.” Blanche gently declined, but Healy acted as if it were the greatest injustice, wailing and shaking her arm.
Hearing the commotion, Eddy hurried in and pulled Healy away.
Healy’s teddy bear slipped from his arms and tumbled to the floor. The bear had a little clear pocket sewn onto its belly, with a photo tucked inside.
Though the picture had faded from too many spins in the washing machine, the image was still
Chapter 12
clear.
It was taken under a Ferris wheel–kindergarten field trip day, the kind where parents didn’t tag along.
Loraine had been worried about Healy and asked Jeannette to volunteer as a chaperone.
Eddy must have been away on business in the next city that day.
Without her there, they’d practically been a family already.
The photo showed the three of them huddled close, beaming with happiness, and it stabbed at
Blanche’s heart.
She watched as Eddy picked up the bear and handed it back to Healy.
She refused to shed another tear for these two. Turning away, she didn’t spare them a single glance.
“Honey, I got a call from my mom just as I got off the plane that day–Healy had wandered off during the trip. I flew back right away to help look for him. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to make you worry,” Eddy explained, moving closer, trying to be patient.
“Luckily, we found him in the end.”
Healy chimed in, “Mom, look! I even made a new friend that day.”
He pulled the photo from the teddy bear’s pouch, flipped it over, and held it out to Blanche.
On the back were two children, arms wrapped around each other, smiling side by side.
Blanche barely glanced at it before Eddy snatched the photo away.
Right in front of her, he tore it to shreds and tossed the pieces into the trash.
“She didn’t just set a bad example for you–she took your mother’s wedding ring, too. Her picture
is not allowed in this house, understand, Healy?” Eddy scolded, his tone stern.
always put Blanche’s feelings first, always acted for her sake.
Blanche felt nothing–no warmth at all–as she watched Healy cry and run from the room
fter being scolded and losing his photo.
She listened, detached, as Eddy tried to comfort her, promising he’d raise Healy well.
Once they were gone, she called out, “Someone, take the trash out.”
That photo disgusted her.
Just twenty–nine days left, and she could finally leave.
Lauren came in from the hallway, picking up the scraps of photo that had spilled out. Suddenly, she paused, holding up a jagged fragment, her face puzzled.
“Isn’t this Jeannette’s daughter?”
