Free Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl

Marshall said,"Maybe I should sleep in the guest room, and you two can have our bed. I mean, we can't leave her on her own, and I seem to make her nervous."
    "Honey, are you sure that's okay? The guest bed isn't that comfortable."
    He raked one hand through his hair. "Of course it's okay. A few hours ago, I thought I might never see you again. Sleeping on the guest bed is a small price to pay for having you safe and sound."
    Getting ready for bed offered more challenges. Luckily, Estella knew how to use the toilet. Should Allison try to bathe her, change her clothes? But she had to admit that she would look askance at any stranger who undressed or bathed her future child. She set Estella on the edge of the tub and contented herself with removing her little socks and shoes. Using a warm, wet washcloth, Allison knelt down and wiped Estella's face, hands, and feet, murmuring baby talk that felt a littl e m ore natural than it had earlier in the day. When Marshall knocked on the door, Allison was marveling over Estella's tiny, perfect toes.
    "It's strange to think that in six months we'll have our own baby toes to stare at." Marshall's voice was husky, as if the day was catching up with him.
    Allison felt exhausted, from the miles she had walked and from the residue of fear that had hovered over her the whole time. "I don't know if I'm ready." She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling the full weight of the day. Only half-aware of the gesture, she put her hand on her belly.
    "I don't think anyone is ever ready." Marshall's hand was warns on her shoulder. "We're just going to have to take it a day at a time, and trust God to give us the wisdom we need."
    Allison carried Estella to the bed and tucked her in on Marshall's side. Estella closed her eyes, her breathing already slowing. But when Allison turned to get up, the little girl opened her eyes and sat up, crying out in Spanish. The only word Allison understood was "Mami!"
    Reluctantly relinquishing the idea of a shower, she slipped into her pajamas and slid into bed. And five minutes later, she and Estella were both asleep.
    In the middle of the night, Allison jerked awake from a nightmare where people had again been falling to the sidewalk, but this time bright-red blood bubbled from their lips. She lay in the darkness and heard Estella repeat, "Mami, Mami, Mami." Her little voice was sad and hopeless, and it made Allison's heart break.
    She reached over and switched on the light by the bed. "Hush, honey. I'm here. I'll watch over you."
    But Estella still begged, looking past her, unwilling to pretend any longer that this stranger was her mother. ''Mami. Mami."
    It was a long time before they both fell asleep.

    Chapter 13 Hedges Residence
    Dear God," Berenice Hedges began, and Nic obediently closed her eyes, shutting out the sight of the heaping platters of food. She didn't believe in making her mother angry. Especially when she was starving.
    Besides, they did have a lot to be thankful for. Mama squeezed Nic's hand, and Nic passed it on by squeezing her daughter's hand. She heard Makayla's giggle as she completed the circle by squeezing her grandpa's hand.
    Nic was alive. Mrs. Lofland was alive, when she could so easily have been trampled to death in the stairway. Nic's family was fine, as were nearly all the residents of the city of Portland. And right now, as Nic waited for Mama to finish praying, she could smell the tureen of milk gravy sitting directly under her nose, the mouthwatering scents of beef and garlic and roux. She was alive and she was hungry, and she was about to eat a delicious meal.
    And then there was Leif. Nic had let him hold her this afternoon. Only for a moment. But she had let herself relax against his broad chest, tucked her head under his chin, and felt some of the unbearable tension leave her body.
    "Amen," Mama said. At the same time Makayla's hand shot ou t a nd grabbed the serving dish heaped with potatoes that had been cooked along with the pot