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"No whipping," Megan told her. "Remember, I promised you that a long time ago. I'll never hit you, Bonnie. You're going to be punished if you do something bad, but you don't have to worry about being hurt or scared again."
Tears filled Bonnie's big eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. She flung herself at Megan and wrapped her thin arms around Megan's thighs. "We're sorry, aren't we, Alice? We didn't mean to make a mess."
"I know, honey." Megan knelt down and gathered the girl to her. "It's all right. I understand you and Alice were just playing."
Sobs shook the girl's body. "You're not gonna leave, too, are you? If I promise never to be bad, will you please stay with me?"
Was that what this was about? Megan pulled Bonnie's arms from around her neck and set the girl away from her. 'Bonnie's nose and eyes were red and her mouth puffy from crying. "Is that what you think? That Justin has left you?"
Bonnie nodded. "You said he'd come back, but he didn't."
"Oh, Bonnie, I'm so sorry. Justin came back that night, but then he left before you got up. He hasn't left you forever. Just for a few days. He'll be back. I promise."
Bonnie sniffed. Megan could see the child wanted to believe, but was afraid to.
"What's all this nonsense about Justin leaving you behind?" Mrs. Dobson asked, coming over to stand next to them. "Bonnie, you're a smart girl. You just think about Justin and how he's taken care of you. Would he go to all that trouble if he was just going to leave you behind?"
"N-no."
"Well, then. He's a fine father and you should be grateful to have him. Imagine how hurt he would be to find out you didn't believe in him."
Mrs. Dobson was speaking to the girl, but Megan wondered if the older woman could see into her soul. Imagine how hurt Justin had been when she, Megan, hadn't believed in him. She closed her eyes briefly.
"He's really coming back?" Bonnie asked softly.
Mrs. Dobson smiled. "Justin will never leave you, child. He loves you."
How simple, Megan thought, wishing the same logic applied to her situation. She knew Justin loved her, but he didn't trust her. Still, she'd made up her mind to prove her feelings to him, somehow. Hopefully, a plan would occur to her before he came back. If not, then she'd think of something before his year was up. She had that long.
"I made a cake last night," Mrs. Dobson was saying. She held out her hand. "Why don't you come with me to my desk and we'll share some. Then we can get started picking up these buttons." She glanced at Megan. "Is that all right?"
"Fine." Megan stood up and brushed off the front of her dress. "Are you feeling better?" she asked Bonnie.
The little girl smiled and nodded, then took the older woman's hand and skipped over to the front of the store.
Megan stared at the scattered buttons. She went into the back room and collected several tins. This was as good a time as any to get the buttons all sorted. At least it would
keep Bonnie busy. Alice would have fun, as well, chasing shadows and generally making a pest of herself.
When she walked back into the store, Bonnie was already laughing with Mrs. Dobson. Megan smiled. The older woman had grown to care about the girl. So far, Justin hadn't been able to find out anything about Bonnie's family. He'd mentioned that if nothing turned up, he would speak with the circuit judge on his next visit and discuss adopting Bonnie. Megan set the tins on the counter. Perhaps by then they would be the real family that the little girl wanted and they could adopt her together. She touched her stomach. Perhaps by then she would already be carrying Justin's child. She hadn't figured out exactly how she was going to prove herself to him, but one thing was for sure, she was going to do her best to stay in his bed.
Oh, but it was difficult to keep hoping for the best when she didn't have any idea how to convince him she cared. She'd spent the last four days coming up with plans, only to abandon them. Everything she'd considered had sounded foolish or impossible.
The front door opened and Colleen strolled in. She was dressed in a blue gown with lace insets in the sleeves and over the collar. It was beautiful, and expensive, ordered all the way from New York. Clothing from St. Louis wasn't good enough for Colleen. The fact that the dress was completely inappropriate for Landing would never occur to her sister, but Megan figured she wasn't the one to point it out. After all, she had a Worth gown sitting in the armoire in her bedroom.
