The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 219

"Mr. Baylor wasn't coming back here much anymore, and it felt wrong to just be collecting a paycheck for doing nothing. I missed you, too. I even went to the Sterling family home to find you once, but your mother... well, she wasn't very welcoming. After that, I had to take some personal leave and went home."

Martha talked nonstop, the words tumbling out as if a dam had broken. It seemed the feeling of a warm reunion was mutual.

When she mentioned Margaret, Suzie explained, "That's just her personality, Martha. Please don't be upset. I can't stand her temper either. After I left here, I moved in with a friend."

Hearing this, Martha squeezed Suzie's hand tighter. "Listen," she said earnestly, "did you know that Mr. Baylor came to the mountains to find me? I suppose you must know, seeing as his arm still isn't healed. If something had happened to him, the guilt would have been more than I could bear."

Suzie nodded. "I know..." After a brief pause, she asked, "What did he want from you?"

Martha sighed. "He was very direct. He asked me to tell him everything that happened from evening until morning on the night he got the most drunk."

"And did you tell him everything?" Suzie asked nonchalantly.

Martha looked apologetic. "At first, I only mentioned the small things, like how you took care of him, how late you stayed up. But it seemed like he was asking about... so I told him about cleaning the bloodstains from the sheets in the morning, and about you asking me to buy that ointment."

Suzie came back to herself and offered Martha a faint smile. "It's alright, Martha. You're just looking out for me. I don't mind."

Just then, they heard Ruby coming down the stairs. Suzie quickly adjusted her clothes to hide her belly and whispered to Martha, "There are some misunderstandings between Jamie and me. I'll tell you about it later. For now, Martha, please remember what I said. Don't let my sister know."

Martha saw her gesture toward her stomach and nodded immediately in understanding.