Chapter 72
Loraine, regal and poised, swept into the preschool. She ignored Lara, who had just softly called her “Grandma.”
As soon as Hedwig let go, little Healy scrambled up and threw himself into Loraine’s arms, wailing and tattling between sobs. “Grandma, Auntie hit me, and Mommy pressed my face down like this-like this-it hurt so much.”
Loraine shot a sharp look at Hedwig before turning to Blanche, her brows knit in disapproval. “Laney, how could you treat Healy like that?”
Blanche didn’t bother to respond. Hedwig tried to explain. “Mom, Healy was protecting the girl who hit Tia. Blanche was just trying to discipline him-she only pressed his face down a little. It wasn’t hard.”
But Loraine’s glare only intensified. She raised her voice for all the mothers in the lobby to hear. “You shouldn’t press down on his face at all! What if Healy got hurt? And you,” she snapped at Hedwig, “is that how an aunt should behave?”
Hedwig muttered under her breath, “All I did was pat his bottom-just a little.” Being scolded by her mother in front of all the other society ladies made her cheeks burn with embarrassment; she dreaded the thought of anyone laughing at her expense.
Loraine knew all too well about Hedwig’s temper-and how strict she was with Tia. Still, she dabbed away Healy’s tears with a mother’s tenderness, wondering why Laney was suddenly so harsh. In the past, even when Healy’s mischief was worse, Laney never resorted to force. What had gotten into her today?
Just then, Lara, who had been standing quietly on the sidelines, stepped forward under the curious gazes of the parents. Her voice was sweet as she called out, “Grandma.” But almost immediately, her face crumpled, and fat tears slid down her cheeks. She looked heartbreakingly small
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Chapter 72
and vulnerable. “Grandma, they won’t let me go to school here. I’m so
scared.”
A flurry of whispers broke out among the parents.
“She called Loraine ‘Grandma!’ Could she really be Mr. Simmons’s illegitimate child?”
“No wonder Mrs. Simmons is so upset today.”
“Their son’s only five. That girl looks at least four. If it were me, I’d be
furious too.”
Scornful glances darted Lara’s way. Loraine hesitated, not wanting to appear too affectionate. She placed a reassuring hand on Lara’s shoulder and addressed the room. “This is Eddy’s adopted daughter.”
She turned to Lara and prompted, “Lara, go on-call your mother.” She gestured toward Blanche.
The room fell dead silent. In families like theirs, adopting children wasn’t unheard of, but they never took in ones this old. A child with memories of their birth family would never truly be theirs, or so the saying went.
Lara walked up to Blanche, her eyes wide with innocent hope. She spoke in a small voice. “Mommy.”
Blanche frowned. “I’m not your mother.”
At those words, Lara’s gaze flashed with something sharp-an edge of malice that looked disturbingly like Jeannette’s. Then, just as quickly, she lowered her head and seemed pitiful again.
“Laney, didn’t you promise Eddy you’d adopt Lara?” Loraine sounded genuinely surprised.
“But I haven’t signed anything, have I?” Blanche met her mother’s eyes coolly. “She’s not my daughter.”
bebovior I need to reconsider the whole
idea.”
“Laney, she’s just a child-she needs guidance-” Loraine tried to intervene.
“She sure does,” Blanche cut her off. “And the person who’s supposed to be guiding her is right here, aren’t they?”
She fixed her eyes on her mother. “You fired Miss Doyle for being a bad influence on Healy. What, now you’ve installed her as Lara’s nanny? I know she’s your distant cousin, but letting her run wild with the children-aren’t you just making things worse?”
“It’s clear this child will never be part of the Simmons family.”
Her contemptuous gaze swept over Jeannette, whose face had gone chalk-pale.
The parents in the lobby picked up the cue, directing their derision toward Jeannette. “I thought she was a relative-turns out she’s just a tutor?”
“Tutor? She’s really just a glorified nanny.”
At the word “nanny,” Jeannette’s face drained of color entirely.”
