Page 96 of The Woman Left Behind

“They do this a lot, you know,” Maddie said.

I turned to her, thinking she was referring to the dogs. “Do what?”

“Rus and Harry ‘talking outside.’ They do that a lot.”

I bet they did.

“Do you want a drink? I also have snacks,” I offered.

She shook her head then came closer to me when Smokey came to me, sat down and rested his muscled bulk against my leg.

She petted Smokey’s head. “Rus and me are having burgers and shakes at the Double D.” She grinned up at me. “I get a lot of father and daughter nights, seeing as I have two dads.”

I hid the feeling that someone had punched me in the heart at the reminder I’d never again share a burger and a shake with my dad (or my mom) and said, “That’s awesome.”

She frowned. “I’m not being careful with you like Rus told me to.”

“You’re fine, honey,” I assured quickly. “It’s the worst, but we both know that. You can be super, extra careful, and it’s still going to hurt for a while.”

“It is the worst,” she agreed. “I was real glad Rus was around when it happened to us. I got him, but Mom got him too. She loved Brittanie like me.”

“I’m understanding that,” I told her, my thoughts moving to Harry.

She smiled. “I know. I heard Mom talking to Gram. Everybody’s real happy Harry found his good girl. Like, Harry’s the best guy in town, outside my dad, and Rus, and my uncle Porter, and maybe the Bohannan twins, oh, also Mr. Bohanan, and I can’t forget Mr. Riggs.”

I grinned at her as her list kept getting longer.

She finally ended it. “So Harry’d need to find the best girl. And everyone in town thinks you’re her.”

That didn’t feel like a punch in the heart.

It felt like the warmth of a blanket.

“Wow, thanks,” I replied.

“Smokey thinks so too,” she said.

I looked down at Smokey, and like he felt my attention, he panted up at me.

I gave him deeper scratches behind his ear.

He licked my wrist.

The door opened and Harry came in, but Rus just swung his torso in.

“Ready to eat, kid?” he asked Maddie.

“Yeah,” she replied, then she surprised me by bopping into my space and giving me a quick hug.

She let me go and bopped toward the door, but she left me feeling better. Not as right as I felt when I was in Harry’s arms, but kids had superpowers they didn’t know they had. And Maddie just used hers on me.

“Nice to meet you, Lillian,” Rus said.

“Thanks for looking after the dogs and bringing them over. And enjoy your Double D,” I returned.

“No problem and will do.”

Maddie had completed the hug she gave Harry and waved at me as Rus made room for her to walk out the door.

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