knew I had to figure out a way to get him back to you. But I was so worried Savi or Pam would get in trouble—legally, I mean. Not only had I kept any knowledge of this baby from the world, but now he was involved in a swap? I was paralyzed with fear.”
“How did you keep Pam from saying anything?” I ask Savi.
“She thought she’d go to jail.”
“Look, Savi knows what she’s done is very wrong,” Crystal interjects. “Right, Savi?”
Savi says nothing.
“Oh, does she?” I look toward Savi. “Do you know you can’t steal another woman’s baby to make Mommy all better?” I hate how cruel I sound, but these aren’t dolls we’re dealing with—they’re humans. “What you did is inexcusable, Savi. There are real consequences to your actions. Do you understand that? This isn’t just a magic trick. This is real life.”
“I know.”
I address Crystal. “Are you even capable of taking care of Oliver? It’s clear you don’t want him.” My heart lurches thinking about him.
“I don’t know.” Crystal’s honesty rips away my righteousness. As much as I’ve been through, how would I feel raising another woman’s baby after my husband just died? It’s hard enough raising my own by myself. But then I straighten. We are mothers. This is what we do.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Rebecca.” Savi’s voice wobbles, and the ice around my heart begins to thaw. But where can we possibly go from here? She stole my child. The preposterousness of the actual situation settles over me like a lead blanket. This isn’t the stuff of fiction. This is my life. And here is a little girl crying for help from a mother who is oblivious to anyone’s pain but her own.
The adrenaline dump from the last few days leaves me almost catatonic, and I can barely form the words to tell her she needs to get professional help—they all do.
“Do you forgive me?” Savi asks.
Do I forgive you? I think of all the people I need to forgive: Jake for taking that job so many years ago, Chris for dying, my mother for not taking better care of herself, Crystal for lying, Savi for taking my child. Can I possibly forgive her? And then I realize it’s not her I need to forgive—it’s myself.
The door opens before I can answer.
“Rebecca, we can take it from here.” It’s Officer Toby, not Jake or the chief.
I stand and comfort Jackson, who stirs on my chest. “I won’t be pressing charges. Just make sure they get the help they need, please.”
I resist the urge to give Savi a hug or tell Crystal good-bye. These two have been a lifeline for me over the past few months, but it was all a mirage. Crystal wasn’t really my friend. Savi wasn’t really my prodigious student. They are liars.
They are thieves.
As I step into the hallway, Savi bawls behind the heavy door. “I’m sorry, Ms. Rebecca!” she shrieks. “Don’t leave! Please!” Tiny fists pound on the steel door, and I flinch. I hesitate, then force my legs to keep moving. It’s not my job to comfort her. It’s her mother’s.
Jake meets me in the hall. “Do you need a minute?”
“I need to go home,” I say. “I just want to go home.”
“We need to clear a few things with DCFS first, take your final statement, and make sure you don’t want to press charges.”
“I don’t.”
“I know you say that, but just think about it before you decide.”
“I’ve already decided.” I just want this to be over and to move on with my life.
He ushers me down the hall. “You’ve got the whole damn town out there backing you, you know.”
“I don’t care about any of that,” I say. I think of Caroline, Jess, Beth, Rob, and all the neighbors who attended the vigil. I don’t want Crystal and Savi made out to be villains, but I know I have zero control over that. Unless I can get Caroline to do damage control. “This is all such a mess.”
“You’ll get through it.” He claps a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “You always do.”
His hand is a welcome reminder. I do always get through it, but now I want to be past it.
I want to move on.
He holds the door open to Chief Holbrook’s office, who offers me coffee and a warm seat. I sink into the chair, close my eyes, and realize this nightmare is almost over. I know the truth. I have my son.