trying to hope someday it’ll all work out.
She looked to her hands clasped in her lap.
Then just trust Me for today.
Her breathing hitched and her gaze lurched upward. No, that hadn’t been an audible voice but—
“Jen?” Carmen’s serious tone cut in. Both she and Dustin were starting at her.
“Uh sorry.” She shook her head, tried to focus. But those words, that whisper in her soul—hadn’t come from her. “I-I did call as soon as I found the kids in the cottage. As soon as I got them up to the house, I—”
Carmen placed a hand on her knee. “You did the right thing. I’m very glad you called. And what happened after, the hit and run, I hope you’re not blaming yourself for that.”
Oh. She hadn’t expected that. She’d gotten so used to making mistakes in front of the social worker, she’d just assumed . . .
Carmen looked to Dustin and he cleared his throat. “I’d, um . . . I’d like to speak to you about custody arrangements.”
Jenessa’s fingers stilled on her armrest. Trust Me.
Carmen waited a beat before picking up where Dustin left off. “Dustin has expressed to me that the past nine days have been difficult. He doesn’t have much experience with full-time parenthood, particularly being a single parent to three children.”
She had a feeling Carmen was putting things diplomatically. If what Colie had said tonight was true, that he’d disappeared each evening and hadn’t returned until the early morning hours, it was likely he wasn’t ready to give up a lifestyle he’d previously lived.
But she wasn’t going to sit here and judge him. She barely knew him. She didn’t know what challenges he might’ve faced previously.
Dustin rubbed his hands on his faded jeans, coughed. “I thought it would be different. Figured I owed Tessa since I was never around and didn’t really do a good job sending money.” He lowered his head.
Carmen folded her hands on her lap. “Dustin and I have been talking for the past hour. I told him I was worried he was making a rash decision during a traumatic night. He’s agreed to take a few days to think more about this. But in the meantime, if you’d be willing, we’d like to send Violet and Cade home with you.”
Could they hear the erratic thrumming of her heart? “I’m willing. Very willing. A-and of course, I’m happy to talk about the future if . . . whenever you’d like, Dustin.”
He nodded, stood, then walked away.
“I don’t know what to say.” She slid her shaking hands down the armrests.
“You need to understand he could change his mind. I didn’t even want to bring it up with you tonight, but he insisted.”
“But if he doesn’t change his mind, is there truly a chance I could be granted custody of the kids? Not just temporarily but—”
“I really don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”
“Please. I need a hope to hold on to tonight.”
Carmen let out a long sigh. “Yes, there’s a chance. If he’s serious, if you’re serious, if there aren’t any major obstacles in the way, there’s a chance.”
She stood. “Thank you, Carmen.” She angled to return to the main waiting room but paused. Lucas was just outside the glass, his gaze centered on her. How much of this conversation had he just heard? She cast him a trembling smile.
How could so much sorrow linger in the smile he sent back?
She moved to go to him, but a nurse interrupted. “I have an update for Colie Hollis’s family.”
“Shouldn’t you join them, son?”
Flagg’s hand was warm and heavy on Lucas’s shoulder where they stood several feet away from the crowd gathering around the nurse.
But he’d heard what he needed to hear. The operation was nearly over already and Colie had pulled through just fine. The surgeon hadn’t needed to remove her spleen. Had done something called an arterial embolization to stop the bleeding and was now finishing the procedure.
“Luke?” Flagg prodded.
“Oh, uh, no. I’m good over here.”
He still couldn’t believe the man was here. Apparently, after Noah had called Flagg this morning with his decision not to join Bridgewell, he’d immediately booked a flight.
They’d spent the past hour talking quietly in the chairs near the vending machines. He’d spilled his guts to the man—about Dad and Noah and the kids and finally, when Flagg pushed him, Jen.
“I sound unstable,” he’d said when he’d finally reached the end of the whole saga.
Flagg had chuckled. “No, you sound like a man who’s tired. Who’s had