Page 64 of What Remains True
“I will. I’m gonna get her home.”
Squatch ran ahead and grabbed Adam’s bag. “Here’s your stuff. Sorry. Darla feels horrible.”
“No, tell her not to. I shouldn’t have put this on her anyway. Tell her thank you.”
Adam hooked his bag over his other shoulder and strolled out to his truck. A minute later, Squatch ran up behind him. “Found her hat.” He was swatting dirt off it, but the sticker with Adam’s face on it was still clinging to the side.
Zan grabbed it, a little smile coming through.
“Thank you,” Adam said.
“Thank you,” Zan whispered.
Adam put her in the truck.
“You don’t have a car seat for her?” Squatch looked appalled. “Dude, you can’t do that. Wait a minute.” He ran off and came back with one. “Take this. We’ve had so many kids that we have them in every car.”
“Thank you. I’m in uncharted territory here.”
“Oh, I know what you mean. I couldn’t figure any of it out without Darla. She’s the one that keeps us all going.” He held up a finger. “Let me strap it in. These are tricky.” Squatch strapped the seat tight, and then Adam put Zan in it.
Zan pulled the strap up and buckled it.
“Looks like she knows more than you, man,” Squatch said.
“I’m beginning to think I know less than I ever did.”
—
On the ride home, Zan fell asleep, clutching her pink cowgirl hat.
Adam carried her inside and laid her on the couch. Shorty made himself at home, curled up at her feet.
Adam pulled his phone from his pocket and turned the sound back on. He scrolled through the missed text messages and emails, then noticed the missed call from Carly’s folks.
“Adam, the doctor told us Carly had a nurse call and give you an update. Honey, I’m sorry I let her keep me from calling you and that she didn’t tell you about Zan. She’s a sweet little girl. She’s yours. Carly knew it from the moment she was pregnant. In her own way, she thought she was doing you a favor.” Mrs. Fowler sighed. “I’ve got Zan’s birth certificate here. Might make you feel a little better to know that even though your name isn’t on it, her legal name is Zan LocklearFowler. Carly had been on the road for the past few weeks. I wondered if she might be heading your way. She’s in a mess of a mental state right now. Physically, she’s just banged up, and she sprained her wrist. They’ve moved her to the psych ward, though. I don’t know how long they’ll keep her there, but I think it’s the best place for her right now. I’m so thankful that Zan is there with you. Call me when you get a chance.”
He sat down in the kitchen chair and cried. Tears for Carly. Her family. That baby girl in the other room. The longer he was with Zan, the more he began to see that reflection of his own image in her face. He felt a connection stronger than he could have imagined when he thought she’d been hurt. He’d believed it impossible that she was his, but not anymore.
The paternity test will only make it official.
He stood and walked to the doorway. Standing there, he watched her sleep, wondering what she dreamed of, as his own dreams slipped ever so slightly out of reach.
17
It was late June, butit was so hot and muggy that Merry Anna hadn’t even made it to the mailbox and her thin cotton blouse was already sticking to her. She had to drive to work, breaking her streak of walking or riding her bike each time. She could only imagine how oppressive the heat was up in DC today. At least here they had the trees and the mountain air to keep things somewhat bearable.
Not today, though.
She drove down to Main Street and found a parking space in the alley behind Hardy House, leaving the prime spots for customers.
Krissy had said this week, the week between the first and second summer sessions at App State, usually brought her big-spending customers in. Merry Anna wondered how many would venture out with the intense heat wave going on. She walked inside to find Krissy setting up an extra fan near the front window to keep the air moving.
“Who stole our weather?” Krissy asked.
“I know. I drove today. That’s how hot it is.” Even just the few minutes from the car to the shop had left her glistening. “We might want to set up one of those big jugs of ice water for customers.”
“That’s a wonderful idea. Would you mind running down to the hardware store to see if George has one in stock? If not, maybe even the Feed & Seed. They’ve got all kinds of random stuff in there.”
