Madison's Children

“She left them, too.”

What kind of woman would do that? A child was a gift—the most special gift. Anger simmered inside her. How could a woman disrespect that gift and walk away from the love and care her babies needed?

Coop pointed to her face. “You’re getting those little lines around your eyes when you’re angry.”

“I do not get little lines.” She stuck her nose in the air and desperately wanted to look in a mirror.

“If you say so.” He glanced at the kids huddled together. “Good luck.” He ambled out of the barn, leading his horse, the dogs trotting behind him.

She faced the kids, trying to think of a solution. “Let’s go to the house for milk and cookies and I’ll call Caitlyn.”

“We don’t want your cookies,” Haley said, and Maddie realized the girl was angry, probably from everything that was happening in her young life. And she had to wonder if the mother even knew that Haley was planning a surprise visit.

“I want a cookie.” Georgie raised his head.

“Then you shall have a cookie.” Maddie held out her arms. “Want to come with me?”

“No, he…”

Haley’s words trailed off as Georgie went to Maddie. His weight in her arms caused her throat to close up. He was adorable with caramel-colored eyes and brown hair. She melted from the contact. Turning, she headed for the house. The girls had no choice but to follow.

THEY WALKED INTO A WARM, big kitchen, and Etta swung from the stove, a spoon in her hand. A spry, thin woman, she was in direct contrast to her big husband. Her eyes opened wide when she saw the children.

She zeroed in on Ginny. “Lordy, Lordy, Ginny Grubbs, you’re pregnant.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ginny removed her Windbreaker and slid into a chair at the table, as if to hide her stomach.

Etta had a lot more to say, but Gran entered the room. Dorthea Belle was a delicate, ethereal creature who seemed to float instead of walk. Her hair was completely white and curled into a bun at her nape. She gave the appearance of being fragile, but Maddie knew her grandmother’s inner strength.

Maddie kissed her cheek. “Hi, Gran. We have company.”

“I see.” Gran’s eyes swept over the boy in her arms. And Maddie knew she was thinking what Maddie had pushed to the back of her mind. She would never have a child of her own.

To block those thoughts, she removed Georgie’s jacket and placed him in a chair. “Etta, we need milk and cookies, please.”

“Coming right up.”

“I have to call Cait. I’ll be right back.” She leaned over and whispered to Gran, “Watch them, please.”

Gran winked and Maddie hurried to her office. Judd answered on the second ring.

“Hi, Judd. Is Cait there?”

“She’s right here.” There were muffled voices and whispers. Then silence. Maddie waited. What were they doing? Now, that was a real stupid question.

Finally, her newly married sister came on the line, sounding out of breath. “Hey, Maddie. What’s up?”

“Do you two ever stop?”

“No.” Cait giggled. Her sister was happy. Maddie wondered if she would ever be that happy.

“Enjoy, sister dear.”

“Oh, I am.” There was another muffled silence. Then Cait asked, “Is this important?”

“I found three kids in the barn. Cooper says two of them are Walker’s kids. The other is Ginny Grubbs and she’s pregnant. She’s looking for Brian Harper. Do you know where he is?”

“Good heavens, I haven’t seen him since the spring. I have no idea where he is.” She now had Cait’s full attention. “How did they get there?”

“I don’t know.”

“Call Walker immediately. He must be worried out of his mind about his kids.”

“Do you have his number?” While she waited, she tapped her fingers against the desk, thinking. After making the remark at the party, Walker had asked her to dance. She’d refused. Skylar had danced with him instead, saying something silly, like they only let Maddie out of the attic on special occasions. The tapping grew louder. Her childish behavior was now a little embarrassing. The man probably thought she was insane, just as Sky had insinuated. She’d never acted like that before in her life.

Cait rattled off the number and Maddie quickly jotted it down. “Have a fun evening,” she said before hanging up. She paused over the phone for a moment and then punched out the number.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T know where they are?” Walker stared at his aunt in disbelief. She wasn’t the most reliable babysitter, but she was all he had. He and his aunt had inherited the general store in High Cotton, and they lived next door to each other in homes their ancestors had built.

His aunt had never married and was set in her ways. She wasn’t fond of children, either. He was going to have to make other arrangements because this was unacceptable.

“Did Haley get off the bus?”

“Of course.” Nell Walker rang up a sale and handed Dewey Ray his change. “She took Georgie to the back room to do her homework. When I went to check on them, they were gone. That’s why I called you. They’re your responsibility—not mine.”

The bell jingled over the door and Frank Jessup came into the store. “Hey, Walker.”

Walker nodded. He was too worried to say much of anything else.

“Did that part come in I ordered, Nell?”

“It sure did,” his aunt replied. “I’ll get it.”

“See you later, Frank.” Walker charged outside before he lost his temper. God, he was doing a lousy job of caring for his kids. Haley hated High Cotton and skipped school regularly. She didn’t fit in with the other kids. Instead she hung out with the Grubbs girl, who was so much older. That was unacceptable, too.

Talking to his daughter was a waste of his breath, though. She had so much anger in her that at times he thought she was going to explode from the sheer magnitude of it. And his son cried constantly for his mother. If he ever saw his ex-wife again he might just strangle the life out of her. Leaving him was one thing, but leaving her kids was something entirely different.

He drew a long, tired breath. High Cotton was small, with barely five hundred people. Someone had to have seen them. First, he’d check with Earl Grubbs to see if they were there. Since the kids made fun of Ginny and her pregnancy, Haley had somehow become her champion. Two outcasts facing the world.

As he reached for his cell, it rang. “Yes,” he answered.

“Is this Walker?” a very feminine voice asked. A voice he recognized. Madison Belle. His nerves tightened.

“Yes, what is it, Ms. Belle?”

There was complete silence.

“Ms. Belle?”