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“They’re sleeping, but they should be able to come home tomorrow. Chloe will be staying with us so we can help her.”
“What about Uncle Danny?”
“Well, he might want to stay with his family, but if he wants, he can come over.”
“His workers are making lots of noise in the garage rooms.”
Shit, I didn’t even think about that.
“We will figure it out.”
“Where’s my daddy?” She grins.
“He went to get us something to eat.”
“Is he coming home soon? ’Cause we only have a few sleeps and he missed one already.”
“I promise we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
She pouts out her bottom lip. “Okay.”
“I love you, Nora.”
“I love you, and Daddy, and Uncle Danny, and Miss Chloe.”
“What about me?” I hear York ask.
“Miss Gwen too.”
“You should hand Gram the phone so I can talk to her and go get Miss Gwen a cookie so she knows just how much you love her.”
“Okay, Mommy!”
Gram holds the phone up so that I can see her and Popa B. “How you holding up, Whitley Mae?”
“Oh, you know.” I shrug.
“You’ll get through this whatever way you need to.”
I nod. “John Paul offered something I never thought I’d consider, but there’s bound to be a lot of talk in town, and I want to shield Nora from whatever we can.”
“You going with your husband to Florida and then New York?” Gram smiles.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know if?—”
“You do know, Whitley, or you wouldn’t be having this conversation with us right now.”
“I don’t want to leave you two, and Nora has school and?—”
Popa B cuts me off. “You’re right. Gossip has a way of making its way around Walton, and the story seems to have a way of changing from person to person. It’s best for Nora and you to let things settle down. We’ll miss you, but we’ll be all right as long as you three are.”
I wipe away a tear. “I feel like you’re kicking me out.”
Gram smiles softly. “You moved down the street a couple of days ago of your own accord. This is just a few more steps away.”
“He didn’t ask us to come to New York. He asked?—”
“Whitley Mae, that man would put you and Nora in his pocket and take you wherever he went if you’d allow it.”
