She raised her shoulders. "Who knows? Jim Fate has made a career out of making enemies. It could be personal, it could be political, or it could be anything in-between."
Estella ate well, but was still unnaturally quiet, jumping at any unexpected noise. Eventually, the child's head began to droop. Her eyes were at half-mast. It wasn't yet seven o'clock, but Estella was clearly ready for bed.
Allison tried calling Child Protective Services again. She was surprised when she actually got a dial tone and then again when the phone began to ring. And ring and ring. She was about to hang up when an obviously harried woman answered.
Allison quickly explained what had happened. She could hear the caseworker's sigh through the line.
"I can't get hold of most of my staff. Even if I could, I'm not sure I could find a foster home for this girl right now. The Red Cross is working on a Web site to reconnect missing relatives, but it's not up yet." As she spoke, more phones rang in the background. "Look, I need to put you on hold for a second."
When the woman came back on the line a full five minutes later, Allison said,"Why don't you take the information I have about Estella. Things should be better by tomorrow, and we can keep her for tonight. And you could always call us if you hear from her family."
"Sounds great," the caseworker said, and from her tone Allison could tell she was already moving on to the next set of problems.
After Allison hung up, Marshall said,"Maybe I should sleep in the guest room, and you two can have our bed. I mean, we can't leave her on her own, and I seem to make her nervous."
"Honey, are you sure that's okay? The guest bed isn't that comfortable."
He raked one hand through his hair. "Of course it's okay. A few hours ago, I thought I might never see you again. Sleeping on the guest bed is a small price to pay for having you safe and sound."
Getting ready for bed offered more challenges. Luckily, Estella knew how to use the toilet. Should Allison try to bathe her, change her clothes? But she had to admit that she would look askance at any stranger who undressed or bathed her future child. She set Estella on the edge of the tub and contented herself with removing her little socks and shoes. Using a warm, wet washcloth, Allison knelt down and wiped Estella's face, hands, and feet, murmuring baby talk that felt a little more natural than it had earlier in the day. When Marshall knocked on the door, Allison was marveling over Estella's tiny, perfect toes.
"It's strange to think that in six months we'll have our own baby toes to stare at." Marshall's voice was husky, as if the day was catching up with him.
Allison felt exhausted, from the miles she had walked and from the residue of fear that had hovered over her the whole time. "I don't know if I'm ready." She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling the full weight of the day. Only half-aware of the gesture, she put her hand on her belly.
"I don't think anyone is ever ready." Marshall's hand was warns on her shoulder. "We're just going to have to take it a day at a time, and trust God to give us the wisdom we need."
Allison carried Estella to the bed and tucked her in on Marshall's side. Estella closed her eyes, her breathing already slowing. But when Allison turned to get up, the little girl opened her eyes and sat up, crying out in Spanish. The only word Allison understood was "Mami!"
Reluctantly relinquishing the idea of a shower, she slipped into her pajamas and slid into bed. And five minutes later, she and Estella were both asleep.
In the middle of the night, Allison jerked awake from a nightmare where people had again been falling to the sidewalk, but this time bright-red blood bubbled from their lips. She lay in the darkness and heard Estella repeat, "Mami, Mami, Mami." Her little voice was sad and hopeless, and it made Allison's heart break.
She reached over and switched on the light by the bed. "Hush, honey. I'm here. I'll watch over you."
But Estella still begged, looking past her, unwilling to pretend any longer that this stranger was her mother. ''Mami. Mami."
It was a long time before they both fell asleep.
Chapter 13 Hedges Residence
Dear God," Berenice Hedges began, and Nic obediently closed her eyes, shutting out the sight of the heaping platters of food. She didn't believe in making her mother angry. Especially when she was starving.
Besides, they did have a lot to be thankful for. Mama squeezed Nic's hand, and Nic passed it on by squeezing her daughter's hand. She heard Makayla's giggle as she completed the circle by squeezing her grandpa's hand.