With the tension of Carly’s labor deflected, Hailey concentrated on Jesse’s mom.
Should she call Jesse?
No. She’d handle this alone. She had no desire to humiliate an old family friend, even if they were estranged. She strolled over to her.
“Mrs. Phillips, how nice to see you.” If she kept lying like this, she’d burst into flames. “Would you like to see the renovations?” That would move them further from the door.
“No, thanks.” Her gaze darted frantically around the store, returning over and over to the exit.
“Are you sure?” We painted yesterday. It’s a lovely shade of sage. I’m sure you’d like it.” She stepped forward, wordlessly edging herself down the aisle.
“No, thanks.” She sounded panicked now. “I just stopped by to see if Jesse was here.” Another step backward. “He’s not. I’ll just go.”
Her breath reeked of whiskey as she dodged by Hailey. Enough was enough.
“If you put it back,” she called at Mrs. Phillip’s back, “I won’t have you arrested for shoplifting.”
Wobbling dangerously on her heels, Jesse’s mother clattered to a halt. Surely history wasn’t going to repeat itself. She regained her balance and turned, her face colorless, hands trembling.
“Put what back?” The crack in her voice betrayed her nerves.
“The jewelry box. I saw you put it in your bag.” She held out her hand, hoping Mrs. Phillips would give the trinket back.Please, please, please, she begged silently. She didn’t want to have Jesse’s mother arrested. Her life was difficult enough, she didn’t need another indignity heaped on her overburdened shoulders.
“I really don’t know what you’re babbling on about.” Tears glistened in her eyes.
“Come on, Mrs. Phillips. Just put it back or I’ll be forced to call the police and neither of us wants that.” When she didn’t comply, Hailey played her trump card. “I’m sure Jesse doesn’t want to bail you out of jail.”
The purse slid off her shoulder to the crook of her elbow. It hung there for five seconds and dropped into her hand. She stared at the floor, shifting from foot to foot. Hailey waited. She’d won this round.
Hands trembling, Mrs. Phillips opened the zipper, the sound loud in the tense stillness. She reached in and pulled out not one, but two of the costly boxes and thrust them at Hailey.
“They were for Jesse and Amy Jo for Christmas,” she whispered defeatedly. “I don’t have any money. I don’t work.” She raised her eyes. “I can’t keep a job.”
Pity, empathy and sympathy flooded through Hailey. She bit back a tear of her own. Mrs. Phillips had a tough life, being abandoned by her husband, leaving her with two kids to raise alone. Her alcoholism only added to her burden.
Hailey understood the pain of betrayal by a man. Hailey’s ex, Evan, hadn’t walked away, she’d done the leaving. But he’d lied to her, cheated on her, broken her heart. The sorrow of the loss of a loved one, she understood. It was the pain of abandonment she couldn’t begin to fathom.
Three years ago, her favorite grandmother had passed away suddenly. Loss did strange things to a person. Hailey had cried for days. By all accounts, Mrs. Phillips had buried herself in the bottle when her husband left. He’d stolen her heart and her dignity.
“What are you going to do to me?”
That was the ten-million-dollar question. Arrest seemed harsh. “May I have the boxes back, please.”
Mrs. Phillips passed them over, shoulders slumped, eyes wet. “Just call the cops. Get it over with.”
The utter resignation in her voice and her defeated posture broke Hailey’s heart. She couldn’t turn her in; couldn’t add another boulder of indignity on her shoulders. “I don’t think I will.” She’d probably live to regret the decision, but for today, it was the right one. “I’m letting you go, on one condition.”
“Anything.” She lifted her face, a weak smile trembled on her lips.
“You’re banned from Two Angels Gifts. You are not welcome here, unless you get help. Get sober. Think about professional help, Mrs. Phillips, please. You’re breaking Jesse’s heart.
Her already colorless face paled even further until she was ashen gray. “Don’t tell Jesse. I couldn’t stand it if he knew.”
Hailey sighed. She prided herself on telling the truth. Always. It was a matter of personal honor. How could she lie to her new friend? What if their friendship became more? She couldn’t build a relationship on a bed of lies.
Nor could she resist the entreaty in his mother’s eyes.
If she told him, it would widen the gulf of anger between Jesse and his only parent.
