Willow Pond

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Chapter Thirty-Nine

The clatter of milk bottles interrupted Maggie’s thoughts as she walked home from work. She watched the milkman climb back into his truck and chug down the street, then stop at another house and repeat the ritual. 

The hours just after dawn were Maggie’s favorite time of day. Despite her exhaustion, she always made certain she noticed nature’s gifts: the sun rising over the horizon, the flowers in a neighbor’s garden. Sometimes she’d pick a few violets or black-eyed susans and bring them home to set in a vase.

Things were going well. She’d been living in Vandalia for two months, but had heard winters in Ohio were frigid. She intended to be gone by then, and she’d saved over half the money she needed for the fare home.

She and the little boy enjoyed each other. She absolutely adored him. He had needed a name, so she decided on Andrew, or Andy, and he was beginning to respond to that name. On rare occasions he called her Mommy, but most of the time he didn’t address her at all. He just stared with those pleading green eyes in much the same way he had from the beginning.

Yawning, Maggie climbed the front steps to the boarding house, craving her bed. But a light in the main sitting room surprised her. There was never a light on at 5:00 a.m. Maggie’s heart plunged. Something must have happened. Concerned, she rushed in the front door and was met by Mary Flay, who had apparently been waiting for her.

Over Mary’s shoulder, Maggie caught a flash of light hair, which she recognized as the top of Andrew’s head.

“Oh hello, Maggie. Why didn’t you tell me you had a child?” Mary asked, smiling sweetly.

Maggie trembled. She didn’t want to have this conversation. “It wasn’t any of your business.”

“But dear, he was crying. He seemed so frightened, the poor little thing. I couldn’t leave him there by himself, could I? That would have been crueler than old Mr. Simms from across town.” She narrowed her eyes and glared at Maggie. “He was arrested for letting his dogs starve to death, you know.” Mary set her fists on her hips, looking incredulous. “What on earth possessed you to do such a thing? Don’t you know how dangerous it is to leave a child alone?”

Maggie sniffed, standing straighter. This woman had no right to question her. “I had no choice. I took every precaution.”

Mary frowned and shook her head. “No choice? We always have choices, dear. All you had to do was ask for help. You’re too proud, that’s all.”

Maggie pushed past her and scooped the little boy off the sofa. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. “This isn’t your problem,” Maggie muttered. “I’ll have to figure out something else.”

“He’s a beautiful child,” Mary said. “And so good. I fed him soup and he drank a little juice, then climbed onto the couch and fell asleep right where you found him.”

“I’m glad he was no problem.”

Mary followed her to the door. “Bring him to me tomorrow when you leave for work and I’ll be happy to take care of him.”

“Thank you for offering,” Maggie said, and headed up to her second floor room. By the time she’d closed the door behind them, the child had woken all the way up and was whining. When she put him down, he toddled to the icebox and pulled the door open.

“What’s the matter, Andrew?” she asked.

“I hungwy!”

“What would you like to eat?”

He clapped his hands. “Cookie.”

“I’ll get one for you straight away.”

She opened the cookie tin that she kept on one of the shelves he couldn’t reach, and handed him his favorite cookie: chocolate chip. Satisfied, he wandered into the living area, plunked onto the floor and began to play with his blocks.