Kidnapped by a deranged killer and having your ex-husband murdered was a life-changing event for my mom. She looked at herself and her life and decided to quit putting life on hold and start living again. She enrolled in community college and was on her way to getting the nursing degree she abandoned in another life.
The Sheriff came to see her shortly after the death of Darrell and asked about her gun. Sheriff Nichols wanted to know how Randall Michael Wall happened to get his hands on her gun and where and why he met Darrell.
"How the hell should I know?" she said with no pretense of civility.
She sure is cute when she is mad, thought the Sheriff.
Damn, he makes me mad, thought Candi. After the Sheriff left, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Still got it, she thought - but I could stand to lose about 10 pounds. She decided to call the life coach in King who her friend told her about. Her friend's sister recently started a business coaching women to a healthier lifestyle. Candi would normally be skeptical, but her friend lost 23 pounds and improved her diabetes to where she was taking one pill a day, not two. The friend gave Candi a discount coupon, and she was going to use the coupon and do it. What was the life coach's name? Leigh Ann, that was it. She called the number on the coupon and talked to Leigh Ann and made an appointment. Later, she told me her goal was to make the Sheriff ask her something other than - Who did you kill today?
Extra money. That is one reason my mom had the money to do college and get health coaching advice. Money can be the ultimate life changer. Money gives you choices. My mom had a new part time job, working for my teacher, Miss Livengood's Aunt Bea. It was what my mom called "an easy gig". She basically stayed with Aunt Bea second shift until Uncle Charles got home or her niece, my favorite teacher, came by. She was never too late getting home. Candi was able to work on her online courses because, other than cooking a little supper and watching Aunt Bea, there was not too much to do. Aunt Bea enjoyed the company too and enjoyed helping my mom with her homework.
"I feel like a teacher again," said Aunt Bea.
My mom came home at night with funny stories to tell about Aunt Bea. Aunt Bea was like a precious granny, full of wisdom and sugar cookie happiness. Her most endearing quality was her absent mindedness. Mom said it was not old age or dementia because Uncle Charles told stories of things Bea lost when they were young. The things she lost often ended up in strange places, like her car keys in the fridge or the butter for the pancakes on the front porch swing. One time her pocketbook rode from Mount Airy to Dobson, the next town over, on the top of her car. She only noticed it when a man handed it to her when she pulled up to her destination.
She would search, but Aunt Bea never found the missing items despite looking high and low. Uncle Charles delighted in the searches. He often called her "Scatterbrains" for fun. Aunt Bea would smile.
"She always has her head in a book," Charles said. "She's a dreamer. Bernie's the same way. My girls are dreamers."
My mom still worked during the day at Riverview Retirement Center and sometimes she sat with Lacey on the weekends. Things were better at the retirement center. Dr. Brook was in a good mood these days. She finally had what she always wanted and needed. She had a baby to love. Don't worry - it was not Sienna's baby. Izito found her the baby through his contacts. He was as good at procurement and expediting as he was with finding lost things. The new baby was the offer he made to Dr. Brook earlier - to help her find her something she wanted and needed - in exchange for a truce and peace and harmony at the retirement center.
Dr. Brook was finally happy. Her parents were happy with her too for the first time in years. They wanted to be grandparents and adored the baby. It did not take Dr. Brook long to figure out that a baby was a bargaining chip in the game she played with her parents. The baby gave her leverage and something to dangle over doting grandparents. Dr. Brook did like getting her way.
Author's Insight: Shout out to my lifetime coach, my big sister, Leigh Ann.