look at the three of them in the kitchen. She dropped her purse on the buffet and went down the steps to the basement, where her bedroom was.
“She’s going to be the death of me,” Mama muttered.
“Did I act like that?” Molly asked, turning back to her sister and mother.
“A little,” Mama said, but Ingrid shook her head.
“Not even close.”
The three of them looked at one another, and then they all burst out in laughter. Molly needed this afternoon with her family, and gladness filled her that she’d come over and brought her extra chocolate chips.
“She’s so young,” Mama said. “I hope she’ll finish school.” She turned back to the sink as her voice broke on the last word. “I’m sure things will work out.”
Molly and Ingrid exchanged a glance, and Ingrid went right back to scooping. “Don’t worry, Mama. I’m not going to get married until I’m at least thirty-five. I’m going to finish school, and then get a Master’s degree.”
Mama twisted back and smiled at Ingrid. “I’m sure you will, sweetie.”
Ingrid beamed at Molly, who let her feelings stream through her. She wondered if her mother had ever gotten choked up over her engagement with Tyrone, and she decided to do what her mother said and let things out instead of keeping it bottled up.
“Mama, did you ever worry about me and Tyrone?”
Her mother’s shoulders stiffened, and Molly had her answer. “A little,” Mama said.
“Did you think he wasn’t good for me?”
“We don’t need to talk about this,” Mama said.
“You’re the one who said I shouldn’t keep things bottled up,” Molly said. “I’m just asking.”
Mama turned around, her eyes flashing dangerously. She leaned against the counter behind her and folded her arms. “Yes,” she said. “I worried about you and Tyrone. Mothers have an extraordinary way of seeing things their children can’t. I didn’t think he was a perfect match for you, but I trusted in the Lord, and I believe He leads us—each of us—where we need to be. So I let you make your choices and your decisions, and now here you are.”
Her chest heaved, and Molly had frozen somewhere near the beginning of her speech.
“Mama,” Ingrid said. “She was just asking.”
Molly blinked at her mother, seeing her for so much more than she ever had before. She’d always loved her mother and trusted her advice. She’d always believed her mother, and she knew her mom had incredible faith. She’d leaned on that faith during the divorce and every day since, and Molly’s eyes filled with tears.
She dropped the scoop and rounded Ingrid and the counter to take Mama into a hug. “I love you, Mama,” she whispered.
Her mother clung tightly to her. “I wish I could’ve saved you this pain and disappointment.” She gently pushed Molly away but kept her grip on her shoulders. Her dark green eyes shone as she searched Molly’s face. “Here you are, my darling. And it’s right where you’re supposed to be. You’ve learned so much about yourself and what kind of husband you want, and you know now. You need to stop beating yourself up for what happened.”
Molly nodded, her tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m trying. It’s just so hard.” She should’ve known. She should’ve seen Tyrone for the abusive man he was. They’d dated for longer than they were married, and she hadn’t seen it.
Why hadn’t she seen it? Why hadn’t the Lord shown her what He’d allowed her mother to see?
Like sunlight bursting through a thicket of trees, Molly knew. She’d had to learn for herself. She’d had to experience the heartache and the misery to know the good and the joy. She’d had to tread along this awful path so she’d know better in the future.
“How am I going to tell Hunter?” she asked.
Mama’s hands fell from her shoulders, and she wiped at her eyes. “When the time is right, you’ll tell him.”
“He won’t want me.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Ingrid asked as Molly passed behind her to return to her scooping position. “Lots of people get married more than once.”
Molly couldn’t explain why she felt the way she did. Hunter existed on a plane she could barely see, let alone reach. He deserved the best kind of woman out there, not one who’d made mistakes and been with another man and come up short time and time again.
He’d want a woman who was his equal, and Molly feared she’d never be that kind of woman.
She finished scooping her dough balls, covered them tightly with aluminum foil,