With Belle trailing behind her, Sophie peered up at Mattie. “The storm woke me up.”
“It’s a noisy one, isn’t it?” Mattie said, reaching out to place her palm on the child’s curls. She couldn’t resist touching Sophie, because she couldn’t have loved this little girl more if she’d given birth to her herself. “Why don’t you come in and sit with your dad and me while we eat our dinner?”
A glance at Cole told her he was giving her his perplexed look, one eyebrow quirked. Maybe he’d planned for the two of them to have dinner alone, but she couldn’t send Sophie back upstairs. She led the child over to the table while Belle raised her chin and allowed Robo to greet her with a lick. Rarely did the older dog join in on the two boys’ shenanigans, as she preferred to carry herself much more sedately through life, queen of the pack.
“I’m hungry too,” Sophie said, taking her usual seat. Belle plopped down next to her in her spot on the floor, apparently not at all disturbed by the booming thunder that accompanied the storm.
“I’ll get you a plate,” Mattie said. “You can share some of mine.”
“There’s plenty of food for everyone,” Cole said as he closed the door to the microwave on a plateful of food, pressed the button to reheat, and headed back to the refrigerator. “You want a little spaghetti left over from dinner tonight, Sophie-bug?”
“Yeah.”
“Say yes, please,” Cole said, as if by rote, while he retrieved food from the fridge.
“Yes, please,” Sophie echoed, with a grin for Mattie.
Mattie smiled and tucked an errant strand of the child’s hair behind her ear. “Do you want a glass of milk or water?”
“How about Pepsi?” Sophie asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“That would be a no,” Cole said.
“Then water, please,” Sophie replied, grinning at Mattie. “Just testing.”
“It might be late, but your old dad is still awake and alert,” Cole said, placing a spoonful of spaghetti on a small plate.
Mattie was filling water glasses when movement at the kitchen door caught her eye, and she looked to find Angie poised at the threshold. The girl wore a long, oversized tee over boxers and a tentative expression on her face, evidently trying to decide if she would enter or not. Mattie felt certain that Angie had spotted her and was now hesitant to come in and join her family.
Their eyes met. Normally, Mattie would go to Angie to give her a hug, but she felt reluctant to press herself on the girl, who lately had been sending out powerful vibes demanding that she be given some space.
“Hi,” Mattie said softly. “Did we wake you up, or did the storm?”
“I was awake when I heard Sophie leave her room.”
“Come on in, Angel,” Cole said, beckoning with his hand and a smile. “We’re having a midnight snack. You hungry?”
While Angie paused, apparently torn, Mrs. Gibbs—pin curls framing her face—suddenly materialized behind her. She placed an arm around Angie’s waist and nudged her into the room. “Well now, this is a fine thing. There’s no sleep to be found during this storm, I tell you. I said to meself, sounds like everyone’s down there in the kitchen, and I’m about to miss out on a slice of that cake I made today. I got meself out of bed and came down here right smart, lickety-split.”
“Lickety-split,” Sophie echoed, evidently liking the sound of it. “Can we all have cake?”
“Well, of course, my fine friend,” Mrs. Gibbs said. “That’s why I made it. Angela, dear, would you be so kind as to get us some forks and small plates?”
Grateful that Mrs. Gibbs had arrived to force Angie into the group, Mattie turned away to fill more glasses with water. She tried to keep a low profile as she carried drinks to the table and spread them around for everyone. By this time, Cole had heated dinner plates for the two of them and a small one for Sophie. “Angie, Mrs. Gibbs, do either of you want a plate of spaghetti?”
“No thanks,” Angie murmured.
“I don’t want to spoil me appetite for cake, so no thank you, kind sir.” Mrs. Gibbs carried a domed cake plate over to the table, making a dramatic display of setting it down and sweeping off the cover. “Voilà!”
Two-thirds of a gorgeous double-layer chocolate cake slathered with rich fudge frosting sat in the middle of the table, looking good enough to inhale. Smiling, Mattie placed a knife and spatula on the table beside Mrs. Gibbs before slipping into her chair.
“Hooray!” Sophie cheered, opening her mouth wide enough to expose half-chewed spaghetti.
“No shouting with your mouth full, little bit,” Cole murmured. “And no talking either.”
Cole exchanged an amused look with Mattie before tucking into his dinner, while Mrs. Gibbs served large slabs of cake and started passing them around the table.
“Your sister and grandmum arrive tomorrow, right, Mattie?” Mrs. Gibbs said as she handed her a serving.
Mattie’s stomach danced uneasily as she set her cake down beside her dinner plate and glanced at the clock. It was well after midnight. “That’s right, Mrs. Gibbs, although to be exact, it’s officially today already.”
“Ach! It is indeed. Are you excited?”
Mattie took a breath, thinking she could be honest about her feelings with this lady—and with this family too, for that matter. “Excited. And nervous.”
Mrs. Gibbs stopped midreach as she was handing Cole a piece of cake and studied Mattie for a brief moment before sending her a look of encouragement. “I can see how that would make someone a bit nervy. You don’t remember either of them from your childhood, right?”
“That’s right.” Mattie looked into Mrs. Gibbs’s eyes and saw sympathy there. “I’ve tried to remember them, but I must have been too young before we were separated.”
“Did you separate like Mom and Dad?” Sophie asked, her face alight with curiosity.
“No, not like that.” Mattie had never shared details of her childhood abduction with the kids, although they knew a bit of her history. She glanced at Cole before expanding on her answer. Concern creased his face, and he lifted one shoulder in a quick shrug. “My mother and my brother and I got separated from my sister when I was about two years old. Even I don’t know everything about how that happened.”
“Will your grandma tell you when you see her?” Sophie asked, putting her fork down and giving her complete attention to Mattie.
“I think she’ll tell me what she knows. I hope so.” Mattie’s breath caught, and she felt suffocated by the ache in her chest. Sometimes it surprised and overwhelmed her how much it still hurt to think about how the Cobb brothers had destroyed her family.
Sophie must have sensed her distress, because she reached out and touched Mattie’s hand gently. “I hope so too.”
Cole cleared his throat and placed his warm hand on Mattie’s shoulder. “Everything’s going to be all right. It’ll be good for you to get more information, because you’re the type who wants the whole story, not just part of it.”
Mrs. Gibbs spoke up. “You just wait. All will be well, and you shall have a lovely time together.”
Mattie showed her gratitude with a thin smile. “I hope so,” she said, looking down at her plate, but not before noticing that Angie gazed at her with concern.
“When will they get here?” Sophie asked.
“Early afternoon,” Mattie said.
“I have an idea,” Mrs. Gibbs said, as she picked up her fork and filled it with a generous bite of cake. “Why don’t you bring your family over for dinner tonight?”
That came as a surprise, and Mattie shook her head. “Oh, I couldn’t impose.”
“It’s not an imposition, dear.” Mrs. Gibbs looked thoughtful as she chewed her cake and swallowed. “It’s important that we get a chance to meet your family while they’re here, and what better time than during dinner? Besides, maybe we can relieve some of the pressure on you. You know, divert the conversation for a few hours.”
Mattie wasn’t sure about that. How could
she explain the relationship she had with this family to the family she was meeting for the first time? Could she tell her sister that this was the family she hoped would become hers someday? Probably not.
“Please, Mattie.” Sophie looked eager, her freckled cheeks bunched above her smile. “We want to meet your sister and grandma too.”
“That’s a great idea, Mrs. Gibbs,” Cole said. “Unless you’d like to cook dinner for all of us at your house, Mattie?”
The sparkle in his brown eyes told her he was teasing her.
“Oh, pshaw,” Mrs. Gibbs said. “Now that’s what I call an imposition. Of course you don’t have the time to shop and cook, Miss Mattie, although I’m certain you would be entirely capable if you were taken with the idea. You’ll all come here for dinner, and I won’t take no for an answer.”
Mattie scanned the faces of those around the table, lighting on Angela’s last. There was no animosity in her expression whatsoever, simply a reserved mixture of curiosity and concern.
“You should come,” Angie murmured, “or Mrs. Gibbs is going to pitch a fit.”
Mrs. Gibbs snorted. “Aye, that I will.”
With a warm feeling of acceptance, Mattie agreed. The alternative would be for her to take her family to Clucken House or the Main Street Diner, which she would save for the next night. “Thank you, Mrs. Gibbs. What time should we be here?”
Mrs. Gibbs put on a victorious smile while she made plans and they all ate their food. Mattie regained her appetite as she let Mrs. Gibbs take over. When Cole pressed his hand just above her knee, giving it a squeeze beneath the cover of the table, her heart filled with gratitude for this new chapter in her life.
Cole and Mrs. Gibbs had a brief scrap over who would fill the dishwasher, but Cole insisted that he would do it, and the lady backed down. “Come on, Sophie dear,” she said. “Take your dishes to the sink, and then let me tuck you back into bed.”
“Will you read me a story?” Sophie asked, as she put her dishes on the counter. “I’m not at all tired.”
“Sure.” Mrs. Gibbs led the way toward the stairs, encircling Sophie with her arm. “Chocolate cake in the middle of the night was probably a bad idea for both of us. I’m not tired either, but maybe we’ll get that way if we lie down together and read. Say good-night to everyone.”
Good-nights were exchanged as the two left, but Mattie was surprised that Angie held back and didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to slip away. Mattie gave the girl a tentative smile, hoping she was starting to warm back up to her. Angie had acted like they were friends until the past few weeks.
In response to Mattie’s smile, Angie’s lips tweaked upward in a short, quick response, as if they did so automatically, before she turned away to carry dishes to the sink. Mattie helped her clear the table.
Cole was busy rinsing and stacking dishes inside the washer. “Are you tired, Angie?”
“Not really.” Angie leaned against the counter and, head tilted down toward the floor, ran her bare toe along the grout between two of the slate tiles. She looked up at Mattie and caught her watching her. “I was wondering something, Mattie.”
With some trepidation, Mattie tried to assume an open posture. She didn’t know what Angie wanted to talk about, but if the girl was willing to open the door to communication again, she wanted to meet her at least halfway. “What’s that, Angie?”
“What happened when you got separated from your family? I mean, I know your mom left you and your brother when you were kids. You said you thought she did that to protect you. But what happened before that?”
Cole closed the dishwasher. “Maybe Mattie doesn’t want to talk about it, Angel.”
“Oh.” Angela gave Mattie a stricken look. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. You have the right to ask, and you’re old enough to know.” Mattie hated to share her past with anyone, but Angela had been through some tough times this past year, and she was mature enough to treat the information with respect. Mattie couldn’t tell her everything, but if she wanted to strengthen her relationship with this girl, sharing some of her secrets might bring them closer. “The problem is, I don’t remember much about the years before I was six. But I don’t mind talking to you about it.”
Gathering her thoughts, Mattie cast her gaze around the room. “Let’s sit back down at the table.”
“I was just wondering about how you and your mom got separated from your sister is all. I didn’t mean to stick my nose in your business.”
Mattie sat back down in her chair while Angie took her seat. Cole drifted over to join them, drying his hands on a towel that he carried with him. He knew all her secrets, and Mattie felt his sympathy.
“I don’t remember much about the night that John and Harold Cobb abducted me, my mom, and my brother, but I do know that Mom had left my sister Julia with my grandmother that night. That’s why she wasn’t taken along with us.” Mattie crossed her arms at her solar plexus to control the flutter. “Eventually, Harold Cobb brought all of us here to Timber Creek to live. For most of my life, I thought he was my father.”
“Was he good to you?”
“No, Angie, he wasn’t.” Mattie felt shored up when Cole placed his hand on her shoulder. “He abused all of us. When I was six, I called the police the night that he tried to kill my mother. Sheriff McCoy was one of the deputies that responded.”
Mattie hugged herself as she felt her inner tension build, making her feel taut as a spring. Cole squeezed her shoulder.
Her eyes huge, Angie leaned forward, hugging her own belly. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, Mattie.”
Mattie shook her head. “I’m okay, Angie. Really I am. It just shakes me up when I think of it, even now after all these years. The police came and arrested Harold Cobb, and my mom had to go to the hospital. My brother, Willie, and I ended up in a foster home, together at first, but when Mom was released from the hospital, she didn’t come back to get us. Eventually Willie and I got split up and sent to different homes.”
Angie’s brow knotted, her sympathy evident.
“I felt abandoned by my mother then, but now I think she was afraid. Like I told you before, I think she thought her leaving would protect us. And it did, at first. But then Harold Cobb’s brother got released from prison after he served time on a different charge, and he found Willie and killed him.”
“And he’s in prison now.” Angie already knew that part of the story and looked relieved to be able to say it.
“That’s right. He was looking for my mother.”
Angie frowned. “But you don’t know where your mother is, right?”
“Right. And my sister doesn’t know where she is either.”
Angie leaned back, her face filled with sorrow. “Oh man, I’m so sorry all that happened to you when you were a kid, Mattie. No one should have to go through something like that.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Mattie reached her hand across the table, and Angela clung to it with hers. “I guess that’s why I chose to go into law enforcement. I don’t think anyone has the right to do bad things to people against their will. And all children should be protected.”
Cole removed his hand from Mattie’s shoulder and, placing it over both hers and Angie’s, gripped theirs tightly. “I admire you for overcoming the hardship of your past, Mattie, and for choosing to do right by people.”
She shrugged as she gently pulled her hand loose to break up the pile. “It doesn’t take much to try to do the right thing. Anyway … my sister says that our father is dead, and she’s going to tell me how he died when we’re together.”
“Do you ever think about changing your name?” Angie leaned forward again, putting her elbows on the table.
“All the time lately. This is still pretty new to me, but I don’t think I’ll keep the name Cobb much longer.”
“What’s your real name?”
“Our last name was Wray.”
“R-A-Y?” Angie asked, spell
ing it out.
“No, W-R-A-Y.” Mattie traced the letters on the tabletop, thinking what it would be like to be called Mattie Wray. She liked the sound of it, and the name Cobb had brought her nothing but pain, even though that was the only name she’d ever known.
“You’d have the same last initial as us,” Angie said with a slight smile.
“Sure ’nuff,” Cole murmured.
“I hadn’t thought about that.” Mattie’s shivers had quieted, and she was able to lean back in her chair. “I hope to learn a lot more about myself over the next few days. Julia’s bringing pictures, and maybe that will spark some memories. And no telling what my grandmother can tell me about our parents.”
“I hope you learn lots of good things,” Angie said, her eyes filled with the old friendship Mattie was used to.
“I’m sure I will.” But she had a suspicion that the circumstances surrounding her father’s death were not all good, or at least that’s what Julia’s email had led her to believe. She scooted her chair back a little, and it scraped against the tile. “Unless you want to talk more, Angie, I guess I’d better be going home. I need to get up early in the morning.”
“No, that’s okay. I’m sorry if I made you stay too late.”
Angie seemed to be more apologetic than usual, making Mattie wonder if she might feel bad for turning a cold shoulder the past few weeks. But whatever the reason, Mattie was glad they’d shared these few moments together; it gave her hope that it would be a new beginning.
“No worries, Angie. I’m glad we had a chance to talk. And we can visit more after I meet with my family, if you want. Maybe things will become clearer for me then.”
* * *
Wanting to make sure Mattie was okay after that intense conversation, Cole walked her to her car. “I hope that wasn’t too hard on you,” he said, putting his arm around her waist.
“She needs to know some of what happened, enough for it to make sense for her. Not everything.”
He knew she was referring to the type of abuse she’d suffered from Harold Cobb, different from the kind he’d dealt her brother and much more personal. Mattie liked to keep that part of her life private, and as far as he was concerned, it would always be her story to tell. “It’s up to you to decide when and how much of your past you want to share.”
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