Cordy didn’t know what to say.I’m sorry?She’d already said it so many times to the Saxons. What did these people want from her?
“Dad, can you help me here?” Hailey handed Mrs. Saxon over to him. “I’m sorry,” she said to Cordy. “We’ll talk soon.”
And then they were gone. Cordy had no idea what was going on—Hailey was sorry? She wanted to talk? That was new.
Cordy soon realized everyone was staring. It was like the entire event had come to a standstill to watch the drama.
She wrapped her arms around her belly, her loneliness a great empty echoing pit inside her. The entire town surrounded her, but she’d never felt so alone. And she used to like being alone!
She wanted to go home, to climb the stairs up to her little loft, her safe place from all these people, and shut the door and shut them out. But she couldn’t. She didn’t live there anymore; it wasn’t hers.
If Cordy had left this place, none of this would have happened. She’d be making a fresh start, the thing she was best at. Not standing in the middle of a town festival wanting to cry her eyes out.
She blinked hard, trying to clear her vision. Suddenly, Ruby was by her side.
“Hey, honey, I saw it all.” Ruby wrapped her arm around Cordy and squeezed tight. She handed Cordy a tissue and rubbed Cordy’s upper arm. “I’ve got you. Let’s go find someplace away from all these assholes.”
She glared at the crowd. Some of them actually looked ashamed.
“You’re a teacher,” Cordy found herself saying. “You can’tswear.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Ruby said with infinite patience. “I’m married to Quint. Of course I swear. Come sit down before you fall down.”
Cordy let Ruby pull her along, too numb to do anything else.
“Where’s Dakota?” she asked.
Ruby waved that off. “Don’t worry about her.”
As they were moving through the now-thinning crowd, Jaycee appeared. “What an awful woman! Are you okay?”
She grabbed Cordy in a fierce hug, almost knocking the wind out of her. If it wasn’t for both their oversized bellies, Jaycee might have done it.
Cordy wasn’t sure what to say. One moment, she’d been entirely alone, and now she had two defenders? “Um, I think I’m fine?”
She wasn’t, but it seemed like the right thing to say.
“You’re white as a sheet,” Ruby said.
“Hey!” Pierce ran toward her like she was the opposing quarterback, and he had an opening to tackle her. “Cordy! You…” He slowed as he saw everyone around her. “Hey, Mrs. Kessal,” he said to Ruby, immediately looking five years younger. “How’s it going?”
“Pierce.” Ruby’s voice went into teacher mode. “Go get Cordy a lemonade. A cold one.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Pierce was already running off as fast as he could. What was a lemonade going to do?
“Trust me, it will make you feel better,” Ruby said. “Now sit.”
Jaycee plopped down on the bench Ruby had found, patting the spot next to her. “Come on.”
So Cordy sat, feeling even more flabbergasted than when Mrs. Saxon started crying.
Sam walked up to her, concern written on his face. Oh goodness, even he had seen what had happened?
Janine was next to him, a brown paper bag in her hand. It looked like Sam had convinced her to come with him to Third Thursday. Cordy smiled despite how awful she felt.
“Those people had no business…” Sam spluttered to a halt. “They… They ought to… They can’t treat you like that.”
