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"I am talking to him. But I'm not just interested in what happened to her yesterday but also who she is, what she likes, what she does for fun. I guess I want to know who she became after she left me."
"Well, let's see." Joanne paused for a moment. "Your mom is a terrific violinist and pianist. Her voice is beautiful. Occasionally, she sings in accompaniment to the students. She's very active here at the school. She puts on the concerts each quarter. There's one tomorrow night. She was rehearsing for that yesterday." Joanne's voice faded. "The kids are all devastated by what happened. We're going to have a vigil for your mother before the concert if you'd like to come. The kids want to show their support, and that seems like the best time. Of course, we hope your mother will be better by then."
"That sounds nice."
"I know you're probably not interested in the concert, but you're welcome to stay and see what your mother put together."
"I'd like to see what my mother was working on. She was my first violin teacher, too," I said. "I fell in love with that instrument because of her. I've played every day since she left. I actually became quite good. I'm going to play with an orchestra next month." I paused. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I told you all that."
Joanne's gaze filled with compassion. "It's a difficult situation. I can tell you one thing for sure. Laura is a good person. I don't know what happened in her past, but she's very generous with everyone at the school. She is always the first one to help if there's a problem."
"Well, that's good to know." The caring person Joanne was describing sounded exactly like the mother I'd known, but that same woman had abandoned her husband and children, and I didn't think I was even a speck closer to understanding why.
As the bell rang, Joanne stood up. "I'm afraid I need to go."
"Thanks for talking to me. I'll see you tomorrow at the vigil. Perhaps, I can speak to some of the other teachers then."
"Absolutely."
I walked out of the office and got caught up in a flood of kids heading out of the school. As I moved down the steps, I realized there was an impromptu concert going on outside. I paused to listen to the kids singing and dancing. They were so young, so free, full of optimism and hope. It made me feel a thousand years old.
I couldn't help wondering what it would have been like if my mom had stayed, if she'd supported my music, the way she'd supported these kids. I probably wouldn't have majored in business or gone into running a clothing boutique with my sister. I might have already been first chair violinist for a major orchestra.
I shook my head. I couldn't go down that road. I turned toward the parking lot. As I did so, a man stopped me. He had dark hair and an olive complexion and wore slacks and a gray wool coat. He looked like he was probably in his fifties.
"Excuse me," he said.
"Yes?" I asked warily.
"I'm sorry to stare, but you look just like a woman I know."
"You mean Laura Hawthorne?"
"That's the one. Are you related?"
"Yes. She's my mother."
"Your mother? Really?" he asked, surprise in his voice. "I had no idea she had a daughter."
"You're not the first person to tell me that," I said with a sigh. "Are you a friend of hers?"
"I am. I heard about what happened to her. I thought I'd come down here and see if anyone knew anything. I know her best friends work here at the school."
"They don't seem to know much of anything."
"What about you?" he asked. "Can you tell me how she's doing?"
"She's fighting for her life. That's all I know."
"Do the police know who did it? I can't get over the fact that someone shot her in the middle of the day. I looked online, but I couldn't find any information."
"I don't know anything. I'm sorry." My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my purse and saw a message from Dani. She was about twenty minutes away from my mother's house. I texted back that I'd see her soon. "Sorry, I have to go, Mr. …"
"Harrison," he said. "Mark Harrison. I hope your mother will be all right."
"Me, too." I paused, giving him a curious look. "How do you know my mother?"
"We met here at the school a few months ago. My stepdaughter goes here. She loves your mother. Says she's the best teacher she's ever had."
