Clancy waited, twisting the key in his hand, knowing the minutes were ticking by. Eventually his mother came out carrying a long zippered garment bag with a clear plastic pouch tied around the hanger. “I won’t ask who this is for. Depending on how large her bosom is, and pardon me for bringing this up but it is important, you might have to adjust the straps. Or she can adjust the straps. It’s none of my business who’s doing the adjusting. . . .”
“Ma.”
“And because she’s tall, the skirt may have to be pulled lower than it’s usually worn, even below the belly button. But not too low, because that would mean that in the back—” She stopped. “I’m sure the two of you can find a happy medium.”
“Ma!”
“Well, I’m only trying to follow the rules. Here.” Clancy stood as she draped the nylon bag over his forearm. “She’ll need to wear her own shoes.”
“Of course.”
“It might be slim pickings in the kid area of the warehouse, since they’ve started rehearsals for the children’s play. But I’m sure you’ll find something for a little one.”
“You’re the best. I gotta go.”
He started for the door.
“Clancy?”
He turned, holding the front door open with his foot. “Yeah?”
“Whatever this is about, I hope it works out well. I’ve always hoped that one day you would find . . .” Mona waved her hand as if she wanted him to forget she’d just said that. “I just want you to stay safe and know that your family is always here for you. We’ve got your back.”
Clancy smiled. It was his first legitimate smile of the day, and for some reason, he let himself believe it was a good omen.
* * *
“Chrissy, we need to get moving.”
Her niece shook her head again, crossing her arms over her chest with such determination that the flesh of her forearms turned white.
“Now, Jellybean.”
“I want to stay! I want to see the pretty mermaid! You promised we could go see her at the Save Heaven Castle!”
This was no time to get into it with a grumpy, sleep-deprived preschooler, but what was Evelyn going to do? Leave the island without her? Drag her kicking and screaming to the dock so that anyone who may not yet have noticed them would get a real good look?
Just then she heard it—the long, one-note sound of the ferry horn. It was arriving, which meant they had exactly a half hour to get there and get boarded. Evelyn peeked out the curtains to see some bad news and some good news. Unfortunately, the rain was coming down in a steady sheet of water, which meant they would be soaking wet by the time they reached the public dock. But the rain would keep the streets emptier than normal, especially at this hour, giving them a smaller audience for their mad dash.
Evelyn sat down on the floor in front of Christina. She held out her arms and the little girl crawled into her lap, snuggling deep. Evelyn gently rocked her back and forth and kissed the top of her head. Her thoughts wandered to how long it might take for Christina’s hair to grow back, and whether she would get to see it happen.
Oh, God! Evelyn closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Christina. She had put this poor child through hell. She’d only been trying to do what Amanda had begged her to do—keep Wahlman out of her daughter’s life—but it had been unfair to expect a four-year-old to remain cheerful through an odyssey like this. Christina had lost a lot more than her hair. She’d lost her mother, her grandfather, her animals, her home, and her preschool friends. She’d lost the knowledge that her world was safe.