Page 1 (1/2)
Prologue
Mary Lou S It eet, soulful hu; the kind that makes you wish you could carry a tune Lou opened her eyes and there sat a heavy, dark skinned wo as all outdoors
Not coht, desperately searching the room
“Whatcha lookin’ for child?” the woman quietly asked
She laid back quickly, her hand pressed to her forehead, the pain still with her froht
“My…” Her tongue came out to wet her parched lips, but her mouth felt like it was lined with cotton
“If you are looking for that sweet child, she’s in the kitchen with my husband, Jebediah He’s the one who found you in the road last night Him and John” The woe to Lou’s head “I’m Sadie Jeb is my husband and we take care of this place for the owner Her na her later How does your head feel?”
“Hurts,” sheher mouth Sadie placed an ar position, and lifted a glass of water to her lips
“Where ‘bouts you from, child? Do you have a name? How old are you?” Sadie hit her with all the questions at once
She wasn’t fro the backs of her eyelids as she said, “ My name is M…Lou! My name is Lou It’s short for Louise Louise Smith I am almost nineteen years old, ma’am The baby’s name is Sarah She’s two months old” Unable to hold back the tears, they rolled like tollen streams down her face She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand “I’ll be out of your way today if you tell me where I am, ma’am”
“You’re not going anywhere with that gash on your forehead You and the baby will be just fine and safe right here We’ll figure out what to do with you when you’re better” Her voice lowered to just above a whisper “You had a black bag with you We put it away for you When you need it, you just let us know”
The h the door of the bedroom He was a tall, skinny man with a warm look in his eyes Beneath one ar Sarah
“I sent John into town to get diapers and forh both pretty quick,” he mumbled as he bent and placed Sarah in Lou’s arms Sarah reached up with a clurabbed that tiny little fist and placed a quick kiss to it They would be all right Wouldn’t they?
“That, she does, sir Thank you And thank you for last night” Lou’s sued her “I am sorry for all the trouble I must have caused you”
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head none I have been through worse, although it has beenbroke that can’t be fixed” He winked at her “One brokenon ed and then slipped an arot shot at, it was Sadie’s father who held the gun” He scratched his forehead “Man alas a poor shot” Sadie elbowed him playfully in the side
The heavy tread of boots sto reen eyes appeared in the doorway “Jeb, you ain’t gonna believe how expensive it is to have a baby The lady at the store told h I told her we only one” He held up a single finger for es filled with clothes, diapers, toys, fore of the bed
“Good Lord, boy, I’ll never send you out with another hundred dollar bill again I should have known you would bust it wide open” Jeb took his hat off his head and playfully swatted the young rabbed bottles, for toward the kitchen
The man’s red hair stood in loose curls atop his head Six feet of skinny boy walked to the side of the bed with an aardness that bespoke of his youth He extended a hand “My naht you be?”
“My na down into the baby’s brown eyes “Thank you for last night”
Sadie entered the roo a burp cloth in the other She reached over and gently took the baby from Lou, placed her in John’s arms, and put a bottle in his hand She threw the burp cloth over his shoulder Swatting him on the rear, she said, “Why don’t you et cleaned up?”
Lou couldn’t hold back a grin the look of shock on his face Jeb clapped hiive you some moral support”
Sadie closed the door She crossed her arlared at Lou “I don’t particularly care where you ca as you have no secrets that will hurt those I love Is there anything I should know?”
She couldn’t hide fro, brown eyes The sobs started lon in her belly Sadie sat beside her on the bed and listened to her story, never once scowling or showing eently patted her on the back and dried her tears when they were spent