“She said she must have done something really bad for her mother to leave. Zoey thought she got sick because her mother didn’t love her anymore.” Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. “She wanted to know what she’d done that was so wrong.”
Tears welled in Kerry’s eyes. So she was capable of crying.
Kerry blinked rapidly, wiping the corners of her eyes. “What did you tell her?”
“What should I have told her? That while she was lying in unbearable pain in a hospital, the woman she thought was her mother was screwing another man? That while she was dying, her mother could only think of herself?”
“What did you tell her?” Kerry screeched the question.
Jack held his ex-wife’s angry gaze. “I told her the truth. That the day she was born was the happiest day of her mother’s life. That even though her mother couldn’t be with her now, she would never stop loving her. But I wasn’t talking about you, Kerry. I was talking about Zoey’s birth mother.”
Kerry’s chin trembled. “I did love her.”
“Not enough.” Jack’s eyes dipped to her stomach and back up to hold her gaze. “I hope you don’t treat your next child the same way.”
Kerry gasped and stumbled backward. Tears raced down her cheeks. Without a word, she turned and rushed from the cabin. Jack sank onto his chair and let his own tears flow. He felt better, freer than he’d felt in years. Finally he’d been able to tell Kerry how he felt about her abandoning him and Zoey, most of all Zoey. That was because of Audra. The songwriter had taught him how to speak with his heart. She’d given him back his memories of his daughter. She’d brought him back into the community that was his family.
Once she was gone, how would he manage without her?
Audra marched into the Trinity Falls University auditorium. She fumed as she replayed for the umpteenth time her argument with Jack, mentally adding dialogue she wished she’d said to the grumpy rental cabins’ owner.
“I hope you don’t mind my being here.” Doreen stepped into the aisle in front of Audra.
Audra rocked to a halt to prevent a collision with the other woman. “What?”
“I wanted to attend your rehearsal. I’m too excited to wait until next week to hear you and the band.” Doreen searched Audra’s eyes. The excitement on her features dimmed to concern. “What’s wrong?”
Audra tugged her right earlobe. Her gaze circled the room: the three rows of roughly six hundred mahogany chairs bolted to the red cement floor, the large Gothic windows carved into the walls just below the ceiling, the choir balcony behind them, the stage before them.
Seated on folding chairs in front of the stage was the Trinity Falls University concert band. Forty of the university’s best musicians—sophomores, juniors, and seniors—played wind and percussion instruments. They were talented, enthusiastic, and adaptable.
Audra fidgeted with the strap of her tote bag as she answered Doreen. “Jack and I broke up.”
Doreen’s eyes widened. “Let’s sit.”
She wrapped an arm around Audra’s waist to guide her into a nearby row. She took the aisle seat beside her.
“It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?” Audra dumped her bag on the floor beside her feet, then rubbed her eyes. Her fingertips came back wet. “We’ve been together only three weeks. Can you really break up after only three weeks?”
“What happened?” Doreen’s voice was gentle.
Audra blinked away tears. “Jack told me he didn’t see the point in waiting another week. He wanted to end our relationship now.”
“I’m so sorry, Audra.”
“So am I.” She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. I will not cry. I will not cry. “What really hurt is that he told me I didn’t belong in Trinity Falls.”
“He’s wrong. It feels as though you’ve been here for years.” Doreen rubbed Audra’s shoulder. “I’m really going to miss you when you leave next week. And I know I’m not the only one.”
Audra dashed away renegade tears. “I’ll miss you, too. I’ll miss the whole town.”
“You can always come back for a visit.”
Audra’s blood chilled at the idea of coming back to Trinity Falls after Jack had tossed her unceremoniously from his life. She met Doreen’s eyes. “Or you can come to Los Angeles.”
“Do you know Morgan Freeman?” Doreen’s grin was infectious. She had an obvious crush on the popular actor.
“I wish I did.” Audra’s heart felt lighter with her friend’s teasing.