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Closing her eyes, she sighed and enjoyed the cool blast of air that flowed down from vents in the textured ceiling. If she wasn’t terrified Bill would find her and make her pay for leaving, she could stay here forever.
A soft knock at the door opened her eyes.
“Do you need anything?” Laura stood in the doorway. Something about the way she kept her distance, didn’t push or intrude, told Marie this woman held a world of stories inside her.
Stories similar to the ones Marie had lived.
Marie looked around the room, still surprised to find herself there. “No, thanks.”
“Do you mind if I come in?” Laura asked.
“Sure.” Marie braced herself for whatever was to come. She didn’t have many friends, and she didn’t have a playbook on how to have a conversation with a stranger offering her and her baby a safe place to stay. Her walls were high, no matter how friendly Laura had been.
Laura stopped to stare down at Nora, asleep in the portable crib beside the bed before lowering herself onto the rocking chair. “Seems like just yesterday Isla was that tiny. Time goes by so fast. Now she’s crawling all over the place. Saying real words. It’s crazy.”
“Is she here?” Marie asked.
“My mom has her in the play area we have set up for the children who stay here. We try to always have someone on hand in case mothers need a little break or have somewhere to be. We never seem to be low on volunteers to hold a baby or watch the children.”
Marie stared down at Nora’s pouty lips and full cheeks. “I can’t imagine letting anyone else take care of her. I haven’t spent one second away from her since she was born.”
“People say it takes a village, but some people don’t understand that’s not always an option. No one here will make you leave that precious baby’s side if you don’t want to, but the service is there if you’d like to use it. We also have group meetings. Some with therapists, some led by women who’ve been in similar situations.”
Marie snorted. “I don’t think anyone has ever found themselves in a situation like mine.”
A hint of sadness crept into Laura’s eyes for a quick second. “Everyone who comes through these doors has their own hardships—their own burdens. We do what we can to help.”
“I really appreciate you letting me stay here while everything gets figured out. I’m not sure how much Deputy Wells told you, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go. And if my ex finds me…”
Tears welled in her eyes. She dashed them away, unwilling to shed any tears for a man she couldn’t stand.
Laura moved to sit beside her and took her hand, squeezing gently. “He told me enough to know we need to keep our guard up—something we have experience with. The women who run this shelter are survivors. We’re strong. And we’re here for one another. We protect each other, so don’t worry. Okay?”
Marie drew in a shuddering breath, wishing she could believe what this sweet, young woman told her.
“But in the meantime, let me know if you need anything at all. There are diapers and wipes in the dresser, and I found some extra clothes for the baby. There are more in the room downstairs where we keep donations. Feel free to take whatever you need. Lunch is at noon.”
“Should I help or just stay in my room?” She felt ridiculous asking, but she didn’t know what was expected.
Laura patted her hand then stood. “You can help Mrs. Collins—the owner of the house—cook or come down when it’s finished. But there are no rules about how you spend your time. You’re not a prisoner here, you’re a guest. I just recommend letting someone know if you leave, and honestly, you probably shouldn’t go anywhere alone. Would you like my phone number? Then you can call me at any time.”
Heat scorched her cheeks. “I don’t have a phone.”
“Then let’s go get you one. We always have prepaid phones on hand for guests to use. I can give you a tour of the house while we’re at it. Then you can see everything we offer.”
“Sounds good,” Marie said, happy to have a plan.
“Can I carry the baby for you?” Laura asked.
A slight hesitation slowed Marie’s response. She didn’t trust anyone with her baby, but it was time she started. Standing, she scooped up Nora and handed her over to Laura. She followed the other woman out of the room and a tiny bit of the burden she’d carried on her shoulders since leaving her family slipped away. She’d only had herself to depend on for so damn long. It was time to move forward and get on with her life.
But first, she had to make sure she and Nora wouldn’t just be safe for the next few days, but forever.
Owen sat in his car and soaked up another second of the cool air blasting from the vents before heading back inside the shack Marie had suffered in over the past month. He still needed to ask his grandpa about the house on the old man’s property, but he had more important things to focus on.
He’d deal with the trespassing issue later.
First, he needed to identify the woman in the river and find the man his gut told him was responsible for her death.
