Hush Baby Hush

He studies my face for a long moment and then sighs.“All right. I’ll be calm. Can you give me some idea of what I’m walking into?”

A fair request. I consider how much he should know going in.

“I lived in this house with Hollywood when we were fourteen. It was the last foster home we stayed in before we went off on our own.”

“Do your foster parents still live here?”

“They do. Butthey’re not the only ones I’m here to see.”

I take a deep breath, count to three, and then force myself out of the truck. Austin follows suit. He holds my hand while we cross the street anddoesn’t let go until were standing on the front steps.

I ring the doorbell with a shaky hand.

Janet answers the door.

Her eyes bug out of her head.

“McKenzie. What are you doing here?”

I force my shoulders back.“Hello, Janet. Can we come in?”

She shifts uncomfortably. “I don’t think... I was just about to serve dinner.”

“This’ll only take a minute.”

I hadn’t actually considered what I would do if she refused to let me inside.

Her gaze flits to Austin.

“Who is this you’ve brought with you?”

“This is—”

“Austin Pope,” he says, holding out his hand.“Co-founder of Pope and Parkes Construction. I’m McKenzie’s boss.”

She blinks. “Her boss...”

“Howold’s your roof, if you don’t mind me asking? It looks like it’s gonna need replacing soon, and we offer a steep friends and family discount.”

That perks her right up.

“Well,” she says.“I suppose you can come in just for a minute.”

I shoot Austin a grateful smile.

Steeling myself, Icross the threshold into the living room where Hollywood and I used to watch television. So much is the same, the furniture, the paintings, the smells—vanilla-scented candles and Febreeze.

“Have a seat,” Janet says, gesturing to the couch.

Austin moves to sit and then stops when I don’t move to join him.

“I’d like to see my old room,”I say.

Janet frowns.

I don’twait for an invitation, and I don’t stop when she calls my name.

My heart pounds as I walk the familiar hallway untilI come to the right door. I peer inside the bedroom, noting the pink bedspread, the blue sweater on the back of the desk chair, the purple backpack.