Finding Ashley by Danielle Steel (free ebook reader for iphone txt) 📗

Elizabeth says I can change my mind before that, but I know I won’t. And the job in Africa is exactly what I want to do.”

“Can’t you do it as a nun, while you wait to see if you’re sure?”

“I will be a nun for the next year.” She smiled that Melissa wanted her to stay in the order now, when she had been so vehemently against it nearly nineteen years before. “They won’t release me that fast.”

“And Africa, Hattie? Really? Can’t you do something like it here?”

“No. They have a fantastic program and this is what I want to do.”

“At least the UN is respectable, and they’ll probably take care of you.” Hattie didn’t tell her that there were still risks involved, but Melissa knew it anyway.

“I’ll come to see you when you get back. It’s nice of you to go,” Hattie said.

“She’s my daughter,” Melissa said quietly. “It’s the least I can do, and I’m her only mother now. She and Marla really loved each other.”

“You’re a good mom, Mel. You were to Robbie too.”

“Thank you, and just for the record, I hate your going to Africa again. I wish you wanted to be a hairdresser or a librarian, or an artist or something instead of risking your life in Africa.”

“This is what I want to do. I want to work with the kids.”

“Maybe you should have your own.”

“I thought about it, but these are the only kids I need. We all have children in our lives in different ways. You have Michaela now, and her children. It’s not Robbie, but I guess he wasn’t meant to stay, and Michaela’s kids will need you too, and so will she.”

“I can never measure up to Marla,” Melissa said sadly.

“You don’t need to. You’re you. You’re different people. I’m not sure Marla would have run to Kennedy to fly over with her. She had other things to do.”

“I have nothing else to do.” Melissa smiled at the compliment. “Come and spend a few days with me before you go.”

“I will. I promise. I just told Mother Elizabeth. I have to give them notice at the hospital, and do a bunch of other stuff.”

“How long are they sending you for?” Melissa was sad about it. Now that they were close again, she was going to miss her.

“A year for now. But I can re-enlist if I like it, and I do a decent job.”

“You will,” Melissa said confidently.

They hung up a few minutes later, and she and Norm talked about Hattie’s decision and her plans.

“I think she’s doing the right thing,” he said quietly. “It’s what she really wants, and she seems to be good at it.”

“I guess so. I’m going to miss her.”

“She’ll be back.”

“I hope so,” Melissa said sadly, looking out the window at the winter landscape sliding by. “It’s funny, I was furious at her for years for becoming a nun, and now I’m kind of sad she’s giving it up. I’ve gotten used to it, or maybe I just don’t like change.” And this was a big one, particularly for Hattie. She was going to be Hattie Stevens again. Melissa couldn’t help thinking that life was strange.

—

They got to the airport at two o’clock, and had an hour to spare. Norm came into the airport with her, and they had a sandwich and a cup of coffee to pass the time. They saw on the big board at two forty-five that Michaela’s plane had landed, and Norm walked her to where they were going to meet on the way to baggage claim. A few minutes later, a VIP golf cart appeared, driven by a ticket agent, and Michaela was on it, in a black skirt and black sweater, with a black coat on the cart next to her. Her face was pale and serious, and she was wearing dark glasses. The cart stopped and Melissa could see that she was crying behind the glasses. She had her carry-on bag next to her. Norm had to leave them then. They were going to be driven to the British Air terminal to check in. He held Melissa tightly for a minute, after telling Michaela how sorry he was.

“Take care of yourself, Mel,” he said in a husky voice. “Let me know if I can do anything to help. I’ll keep an eye on the house,” and then he whispered in her ear, “I love you.”

“Me too,” she whispered back, got on the golf cart next to Michaela, put an arm around her, and they took off with a wave at Norm, who stood waving at them, and then went back to the garage to get his car and drive into the city for the night. He was going to call a friend to have dinner with him.

“Thank you for coming to meet me,” Michaela said as they went outside in the cart and crossed the airport. With the VIP service with the golf cart that David had arranged, they were able to check in for the British Air flight on time. They were escorted to a first-class lounge and given a private room out of sight, and then escorted onto the plane an hour later when it was ready to board. The airline personnel addressed Michaela with seriousness, knowing why she was going to Edinburgh. Marla was all over the news by then and had been all day.

There were four first-class seats on the flight, and they had two of them. The service was excellent, and the food was good, but Michaela hardly touched it, and Melissa wasn’t hungry either. She covered her daughter with a blanket as soon as they boarded, and held her hand. When Michaela took her sunglasses off, Melissa could see that her eyes were red and swollen. She’d been crying since she heard the news about her mother.

“She wasn’t like other mothers, but she was terrific and I loved her,” Michaela said softly, and Melissa nodded and tried to get her to close