Page 80 of No Offense

Meschelle sauntered over, carrying another one of her colorful bags, this one covered in real seashells. “Thank you for screaming my name in front of everyone,” she said to Henry when she reached them. “I so appreciate that.”

“Oh, you love it,” said Henry.

“You’re not covering this for the paper, are you?” Molly asked Meschelle uneasily, since she saw that Meschelle had her phone in her hand.

“Why wouldn’t I? It’s a total feel-good story. People love this kind of stuff.”

Molly’s heart lurched. Surely Meschelle meant only the performance, not anything she might have seen on Facebook.

“Yes,” Molly said, “but don’t you think John’s been in the news enough lately?”

“For what?” Meschelle was arranging her enormous toteneatly at her feet. “That High School Thief stuff was ages ago.”

“Yes, but what about the baby thing? And reuniting her with her mother?”

“Again, ages ago, Molly. I don’t think you understand how quickly news cycles turn over.”

“Speaking of the baby thing.” Henry pointed to two women coming down the far aisle of the auditorium. “Isn’t that her? Tabitha whatever-her-name-is?”

Molly craned her neck to look and was pleased to see that it really was Tabitha, looking happy, glowing and healthy, baby Cosette strapped snugly to her chest in a sling. Behind her trailed Mrs. Brighton, looking a little less happy, but nevertheless better than the last time Molly had seen her, at Story Time in the new library. She’d traded her sweater set and boots for an expensive designer shift, boho-chic jewelry, and sandals.

“Yes, that’s Tabby,” Molly said. “And her mother.”

“Wait, she didn’t go back to Connecticut? She’slivinghere now?” Meschelle’s fingers flew over her phone’s keypad, as if she was already getting started on her follow-up story.

“For now.” Molly couldn’t help smiling. “Tabitha plans to stay as long as her boyfriend is in jail here. And because she’s staying, her mother’s staying, to help with the baby.”

“But that could be years! You know how slowly the court system moves here.”

After exchanging cheerful waves with Tabitha and her mother, who’d noticed her in the crowd, Molly turned back toward the stage, a small smile on her face as she thought of the pie she and John had nearly overturned the day of Larry Beckwith’s arrest. They’d consumed a lot of pie in the days since. “I know. People do crazy things for love.”

She only hoped John wouldn’t take that to the extreme this evening.

“What about Tabitha’s father?” Meschelle demanded.

“Mr. Brighton? Oh, he’s back in Connecticut, working and taking care of the house. I think he realizes this whole thing can’t last.” Molly waved her hand at Tabitha and her mother, who’d taken their seats and weren’t looking her way, to indicate what she meant by “this whole thing.” “Their hope is that eventually Tabby, who is a very smart girl, is going to come to her senses and want to go back to Connecticut with them to raise her daughter, and maybe even go to college. Mr. B is keeping the home fires lit until that happens.”

“Well, that’s good,” Meschelle said, with an approving nod. “That Larry guy is a jerk.”

“True,” Molly said. “But he’s still her baby’s father.”

“Are his parents helping out with child support, at least?”

Molly nodded, thinking of the Beckwiths, who’d shown up at Story Time as well. “They’re as excited about their new granddaughter as the Brightons.”

“Well, that’s good, at least,” Meschelle said with a sigh.

The house lights dimmed, plunging the school auditorium into darkness.

“It’s starting!” Henry dug his fingers excitedly into Molly’s arm.

“Ow. If you’re going to be doing that the entire time—”

“I won’t.” Henry pulled his hand away and plunged it back into his popcorn bag. “It’s just that I can’t wait to see you as a blushing bride-to-be.”

Molly glared at him. “Really? You, too?”

He looked apologetic. “Sorry. The whole thing is just a rumor, I swear.”