Page 52 of Someone Like You
“Of course.” Louise wasn’t sure she was ready for this. Larry gave her a sympathetic look, like maybe he wasn’t ready either.
Dawson was on his feet now. “Let me help.” He and Maddie left the house without saying a word.
When they were both outside, Louise put her head in her hand. “Larry.”
“I know.” He put his arm around her. “Here with her … it’s like … Like being with London.”
“Every word, every glance.”
“Looking at pictures of Maddie as a baby …” Larry’s voice trailed off.
Louise lowered her hand. “It’ll be like looking at every season and stage we missed.”
“Well.” Larry stood and walked to the bookcase. “Let’s show her London’s baby photos. That’s what she came for … to learn more about the sister she never knew.”
Louise nodded. “I like that.” At least if they hadLondon’s pictures out, too, the discussion would be more about how the two looked alike.
Not about the daughter Louise and Larry had missed out on.
Dawson and Maddie returned and for the next half hour they compared photos, Maddie’s growing up pictures with London’s. Time and again they found similarities in the photos. London sitting with a pumpkin on a hay bale when she was two years old. And then Maddie in almost an identical pose.
They were pictures of a happy childhood. In that sense, Louise was thankful. Maddie hadn’t been theirs, but she had clearly been raised by people who loved her.
Next, Maddie told them about her family. Her parents were doctors and she had one sister, a sister who had suffered a near-drowning accident when she was little. She talked about identifying more with her mother’s side of the family. “I always thought I was a Baxter.” Her voice fell. “Until … I found out.”
Louise wanted to take the girl in her arms and comfort her. Clearly she was confused. Like she had nowhere she truly belonged. Not the family back home and not Louise and Larry, who she’d only just met. One day soon, Louise hoped she might feel comfortable enough to go deeper on the subject.
It was after nine o’clock when the evening wore down. Maddie yawned. With the time change and emotion of the day, she was bound to be tired. The one thing they hadn’t talked about was Louise’s health, but she was glad about that. It was a detail that could wait. If it came up at all.
Just because Maddie wanted to meet them didn’t mean she would become part of their lives.
But oh, how Louise wanted that. And when Dawson left to take Maddie to her hotel, Louise collapsed against her husband. “How did we miss her?” The ache wasn’t ever going to stop. They had lost the chance to have this wonderful second daughter. All out of fear of the unknown. If Louise had it to do all over again, she never would’ve hesitated and Maddie would be theirs.
Her thoughts stayed there long after she went to bed. Sleep wouldn’t come and Louise stared at the ceiling. Maddie had been kind and talkative, friendly and thoughtful. So much about her was like London. If Louise would’ve chosen to give birth to Maddie, the two girls would’ve been best friends. By the time she closed her eyes, Louise was sure that giving up Maddie hadn’t only been a selfish choice.
But the worst decision she and Larry had ever made.
18
Dawson stopped by the office that morning to pick up a file. By then his dad knew about the change of events with Maddie and this time he didn’t have a list of questions for Dawson. Just two words.
“Be careful.” His father gave him a quick hug and a lingering look.
His dad didn’t need to worry. Maddie had told him yesterday that she and her fiancé were doing great. Better than ever. Dawson left the office and headed for the hotel. He had one job today as he took Maddie around. It was what London would’ve wanted him to do.
Tell the Indiana girl everything he could about the sister she would never know.
And all the while try to ignore his broken heart.This is not another day with London, he told himself.That’s a lie. Maddie was a totally different person, and after her few days or a week here in Portland she would go home to her fiancé and her parents. No matter how her time here went.
Because that was the right thing.
Then Dawson would get on with healing, learning how to live without the only girl he’d ever loved. He studied the clouds as he pulled into the hotel parking lot. More rain today, most likely, but he didn’t mind. The truth was,today would be good for him. Maddie was her own person and by the end of their time together that would be more evident.
She was on the phone in the lobby when he entered the hotel. Dawson stayed back a few feet so she could finish her call. It didn’t take long. She dropped her phone in her purse and smiled at him. “Sorry.”
“No worries.” He walked with her out to the truck and held the door for her. After last night he felt like he knew her better. Enough that the air between them didn’t feel awkward. “How’d you sleep?”
“Well.” Maddie buckled her seat belt. “I just can’t … I can’t believe I had a sister I never met. I can’t stop thinking about it. Especially after all those photos last night.” She sighed. “And now it’s too late.”
