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“But you look so pretty now, just like my little angel,” she said as she brushed the girl’s hair and clamped a pretty green barrette on the side to keep it from her eyes. She’d given Kaylee one as well, then handed Ava Piper’s favorite reindeer sweatshirt and Kaylee the blue one with the snowman applique.
“Put them on and we’ll have a fashion show,” she said. “We can take a family photograph once Daddy is back from picking up everyone’s special medicine.”
Ava frowned again and she felt like shaking her.
She was getting tired of the girl’s sullen silent treatment. Thankfully Kaylee had chattered away while they decorated the cards and sang along with the music.
Kaylee was such a sweet girl now. It was a good thing she’d gotten her away from that mother of hers.
“You look perfect!” She clapped and urged the girls to stand in front of the tree.
She heard the garage door open and close, then Silas walked in and murmured a sound of disapproval. “What have you done now?”
“We’re taking a family picture,” she said. “I need to get Becky to join us.”
He caught her arm. “Don’t you think you’re carrying this too far? You’re scaring Ava.”
She gave him a hate-filled glare. “No, I’m not. Now let me get Becky.”
She pushed past him and down the hall, toward Becky, but when she tried to wake her, the little girl didn’t move. She shook her harder then tried to lift her by her shoulders, but Becky sagged back down, limp and still.
“Honey, wake up,” she cried.
But the little girl did not respond.
Panicked, she ran back to the door. “Silas, come here! Hurry, something’s wrong with Becky!”
Seconds later, he raced into the room, his jaw clenched as he knelt by Becky’s bedside. He felt for a pulse, then looked up at her with cold fear darkening his eyes.
“She needs a hospital,” he said sharply.
Then he scooped her into his arms, grabbed the blanket from the bed, and headed to the door. She raced after him, pulling at his arm. “You can’t take her,” she cried. “I can’t lose her again.”
“Get out of my way,” he ordered. “You’ve gone too far.” She tried to stop him by blocking the door, but he shoved her aside. “I said get out of the way! I’m not going to let this child suffer any more.”
She chased him down the hall to the garage door, but he rushed to his car and laid Becky in the back seat. She yanked at his arm, but he shoved her backward so hard she stumbled into the wall.
Buckling Becky in, he tucked the blanket around her, then dove into the front seat. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Kaylee and Ava watching in the doorway, clinging to each other as Silas slammed the car door, started the engine and backed out of the garage.
One Hundred Nineteen
Ava felt like she had a big rock in her chest. What was wrong with Becky?
Kaylee’s low cry made things even worse.
“Get in the house!” the lady shouted.
Kaylee snatched Ava’s hand and dragged her back in the house. The lady ran after them, her eyes wild as she screamed, “Go to your room and stay there. You’d better not come out.”
Ava made a little strangled sound and Kaylee shushed her, then pulled her toward the stairs. The lady was shaking her fists in the air and hit the wall, and Ava stumbled on the bottom step.
“Come on, Ava.” Kaylee helped her up and they ran up the stairs, slipping on the cool wood and fumbling along the wall until they reached their room.
“I mean it, stay in there!” the lady yelled.
Kaylee slammed the door shut, and Ava snatched one of the chairs and pushed it against the door. Then she and Kaylee climbed on one of the twin beds together. Ava pushed her fist against her mouth to keep from crying.
“What’s wrong with Becky?” she whimpered.
