The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 78

She hadn’t gotten far, however, when Margaret’s hand clamped down on her arm.

“Suzie!” Margaret’s voice was trembling, a strange mix of relief and excitement.

Suzie stopped, resigned, and turned to face her. Up close, Margaret looked even worse. Her face was pale and thin, the corners of her mouth downturned, her expression a bleak mask of exhaustion and despair.

“Oh, Suzie, I finally found you.”

The next words came out as a sob, and her grip on Suzie’s sleeve tightened.

Suzie glanced down at Margaret’s hand. The sparkling bracelets and rings that used to adorn her wrist were all gone.

From her current state, Suzie guessed she must have sold all her valuables to make ends meet.

“What is it?” Suzie’s tone was cold, as if she were speaking to a stranger.

Margaret flinched, her eyes filling with pain. “Suzie, what I said at Stella’s house that day… I was just angry. Why didn’t you come home? Why have you been acting like a completely different person since then?”

Suzie looked down at the weeping woman, who acted as if the entire Sterling family would collapse without her. With that pathetic voice and look of maternal concern, she could have fooled anyone.

Suzie gently pulled her hand free from Margaret’s rough grasp. “I’m fine at Stella’s place,” she said calmly. “I’ll send you money once I’ve earned enough.”

Mindful of her pregnancy, she needed to placate Margaret and leave as quickly as possible.

But her words weren't enough. Margaret grabbed her hand again. “Don’t be foolish, Suzie. I know you found a job, but how much can you possibly make at some little studio? And look at you! Your skin has lost its glow since you left the Baylor family. Listen to me. Go back to Jamie and apologize.”