her and wiped the tears away with a tissue. “We’ll never do that, Mama. Your girls came home to take care of you. We’ll be right here always.”
Kayla slipped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s right, Mama. If your legs don’t work, we’ll get a wheelchair so you can still have breakfast on the back porch some of the time.”
“You are good daughters. Promise me”—she looked from one to the other—“that you will let me die right here in my house when the time comes.”
“We promise,” Teresa and Kayla said at the same time.
“Call the nurse to come get me up and back into bed,” she said.
“How about you let us do that?” Teresa said. “The nurses are all busy right now.”
“I raised two good girls. Where are the babies?” Miss Janie asked.
Lifting a deadweight, even if Miss Janie wasn’t the woman she used to be, wasn’t easy, but they managed to get her into the bed. She wanted the babies brought to her as soon as she was settled.
Kayla retrieved the dolls from their bedrooms and carried them into Miss Janie’s bedroom gently, as if they were real babies. She wondered how much different her life would have been if she’d gotten pregnant the first time she and Denver had sex. She would have a teenage son or daughter herself right about now. The idea of trying to raise a child almost gave her hives, especially if it was a boy who turned out to be like Denver.
“Here they are,” Kayla said as she came into the room.
“Why are you bringing your dolls in here, Kayla? They belong upstairs in the little cradles I had made for them,” Miss Janie scolded. “Did I break a hip? My legs feel funny.”
“No, you didn’t break a hip,” Kayla answered. “I thought you’d like to see that we’ve kept the dolls nice all these years.”
Miss Janie rubbed her shoulder. “Did I fall?”
“No, you slid down into a sitting position, but I can call the doctor if you think I should,” Teresa answered.
“Why would you do that? You’re a nurse,” Miss Janie said.
“That’s right, but to be on the safe side, I’ll give him a quick call.” Teresa took the dolls from Kayla and whispered, “Stay with her until I get back, and then I’ll help you unload all those groceries.”
Kayla sat down on the edge of the bed and said, “Miss Janie, how old are you?”
“It’s not polite to ask a woman her age.” She pouted. “But I’ll be seventeen on my next birthday.”
“And you came to live here when you were sixteen?” Kayla asked.
“Yes, I did. I was terrified at first, but Aunt Ruthie was so nice to me. She didn’t put me down for what I’d done. Where is she? Did she go to town and leave me with you?” Miss Janie asked.
Lord have mercy! Kayla hoped that when her own time came, she died in her right mind. Poor Miss Janie. This had to be a miserable existence.
Teresa motioned for Kayla to join her in the hallway.
Before she left, Kayla patted Miss Janie on the shoulder. “I’ve got to get the groceries into the house before our ice cream melts. I’ll be right back, though.”
Teresa led the way back to the kitchen and turned around at the cabinet. “The doctor says he’s been expecting this and that she won’t be able to walk anymore. She’s ready for a wheelchair now.” She bit back a sob.
“We’ll do what we can. We promised that we’d let her die at home, but the Miss Janie we knew when we were kids is gone already. It’s only a matter of her heart figuring out that it’s time to stop beating,” Kayla said.
“I’ve got so many regrets.” Teresa wiped away a tear and hugged Kayla for the first time ever.
Chapter Eight
This morning is turning into Freaky Friday, Teresa thought. Miss Janie was the child and she had become the parent. In Miss Janie’s jumbled mind, Tuesday was Sunday, and she’d demanded that she get out of bed and go to church.
“I promise it’s Tuesday, and church services are not held on Tuesdays,” Teresa assured her.
Miss Janie crossed her arms over her chest and said, “If I can’t go worship, then I’ll just starve and go see Jesus in heaven.”
“Which Jesus?” Kayla entered the room. “Our Lord and Savior, or my father?”
Miss Janie picked up one of the dolls beside her and threw it at Kayla. “Don’t you claim to be fathered by Jesus. And