The Indelible Heart by Marianne K. Martin

Author:Marianne K. Martin [Martin, Marianne K.]
Language: fra
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Saturday had been a monster of a day. Paced from sunrise to sunset with wonder and discovery, it was the highlight of the week. Throughout the day, Sage marveled at the girls’ stamina. Six- and seven-year-olds, she decided, had way too much energy.

They were up this morning before anyone else. Whispers and scampering feet disappeared down the hall to some secret spot. Innocent sounds from these girls, this time, this day. Sage opened her eyes for confirmation. Yes, she was safely beyond it, beyond her own fearful whispers, the quiet flight, seeking safety. Beyond it and safe.

Not these girls, not like she and Cimmie. No acid-roiled stomachs for these girls, no fright-filled nights. No, never for their girls. Secret places should only save secrets, not lives. Their secret places muffle whispers and giggles, not tears, not cries held so tightly that their throats ache for relief.

Sage snugged her arms around Deanne and breathed in the smell of here and now. This is her life now, her home, her family. And she’s not protecting them alone. She nuzzled the place just above Deanne’s ear. Confirmed.

Deanne stirred awake. “Mmm, how long have you been awake?”

“Since the girls thought they were sneaking down the hall.”

Deanne looked at the clock, then turned to face Sage. “They either have way too much energy, or we’re getting old.”

Sage smiled and kissed her. “They’re taking advantage of every minute they have together. They need to be with each other—thank God for healthier reasons than why Cim and I needed each other.”

“If Cim doesn’t find a way to move here pretty soon, we’ll have enough frequent flyer miles to shuttle them free for the next five years.”

“This is hard for me.” Sage threw off the bed sheet and got up. “If it had been up to me, they would have been living here free in one of the apartments until jobs opened up for them.” She began pulling clothes from her drawers—quick motions as she spoke. “The girls should grow up together. Maybe we should move there. I could let Wendy manage the business, fly back and forth. It would be better than this.” Impulse. Irrational. She finally looked up to meet Deanne’s eyes.

“I don’t think I should be that far away,” Deanne replied as she fluffed the pillows. “Dad’s health is so iffy, and I worry about Mom.”

Sage dropped her hands to her sides and moved slowly to Deanne’s side of the bed. “You shouldn’t have to tell me that. Just ignore me when I get like this.”

“How’s that going to help? I want to know what you’re thinking, what you’re worrying about. For too much of your life, you had to keep it inside. I don’t want you to feel like you ever have to do that again. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together.”

“I thought about that this morning.” Sage kept her eyes on Deanne’s and held both her hands. “Whenever I sense any kind of threat, my first instinct is that it’s up to me to do something about it.

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