“I’ll fire her if she’s ugly to the babies,” Teresa promised as she laid one of the dolls on the pillow in Miss Janie’s lap, then motioned for Kayla to do the same. She was more than a little surprised that Kayla didn’t have something to say, or maybe even kick her in the shins for the comment.
“I trust you.” Miss Janie began to hum as she gently touched the dolls’ faces.
“You call me when you’re ready for us to take them back to the nursery.” Teresa tiptoed out of the room with Kayla right behind her.
“You don’t have the authority to fire me,” Kayla said.
“No, I don’t, but if it makes Miss Janie feel better, then we will pretend that I do.” Teresa went to the kitchen, sat down in a chair, and put her head in her hands to catch her tears. “My heart breaks for her every time she wants the babies.”
Kayla pulled out a chair and sat down beside her. “I had no idea that she’d be like this, but why did you ever let her think those dolls were real babies to start with?”
“She mourned for the little girls she gave away. I had a patient like that in the nursing home, and when the nurses gave her a doll, it soothed her.” Teresa took a paper napkin from the holder in the middle of the table and dried her face. “I keep thinking about the turmoil she lived with all these years.”
“Nurse! Nurse!” Miss Janie yelled.
Teresa hopped up and hurried across the hall.
“I’ve got a hangnail”—she held up her index finger—“and I’m afraid I’ll scratch one of the babies with it.”
“Why don’t we take the babies back to the nursery, and I’ll give you a manicure this morning,” Teresa said. “You can even pick your nail polish. There’s pink and red both on your dresser.” She motioned for Kayla to come get the dolls. “Can you carry both of them?”
“Sure, I can,” Kayla said. “Then I’ll get back to cleaning.”
“You still got a driver’s license?” Teresa whispered.
“Yes, I do, even though I haven’t owned a car in months,” she replied.
“I needed to go grocery shopping today, but I’m afraid to leave her with you until she gets to know you better at the age she is right now. Would you mind doing that and cleaning later?” Teresa gently laid a doll in each crook of Kayla’s arms.
“You’re going to trust me with your vehicle?” Kayla asked.
“No.” Teresa laid the pillow from Miss Janie’s lap to the side and helped her sit up. “You can take Miss Janie’s car. Keys are hanging by the back door, and the credit card that Noah left is on the credenza in the hallway. The list is on the front of the refrigerator.”
“Why can’t I drive your car?” Kayla asked.
“Because it’s that old truck out there in the driveway. The tires are about to blow, and you’d be runnin’ on fumes to get to a gas station,” Teresa replied, and then focused on Miss Janie. “There, now, darlin’, you lean on me, and we’ll do your nails in the kitchen. And I forgot to put tampons on the list, and we’re out of shampoo.”
“Any particular brand?” Kayla asked.
“I usually get whatever is on sale.” She led Miss Janie across the hallway and into the kitchen. “Have you decided on a color?”
Miss Janie giggled. “Mama says red is for hussies and that good girls don’t wear red. Greta did when we were in the unwed mothers’ home. She did my nails one time and I felt really rebellious.”
“Then shall we do them red again?” Teresa asked. “I won’t tell on you if we do.”
“Yes.” Miss Janie clapped her hands. “Mama shouldn’t have made me go there. If Aunt Ruthie hadn’t talked to them, I wouldn’t have my babies today. How long until I stop hurting from giving birth?”
“It’ll go away soon,” Teresa told her as she started out of the kitchen to get the little zippered manicure set that had always been on Miss Janie’s dresser, and the bottle of polish.
“Why did she ask that?” Kayla whispered as she followed her.
“Because the cancer is in her bones and the pain must remind her of the way she felt after she gave birth,” Teresa explained. “Oh, and we need more detergent while you’re at the store.”
“I understand. See you in a couple of hours. Think it would be all right if I got a pizza for dinner on