Notes from the Heart Healer Page #5

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I don't know if she will, but...

Ms. MacGruder?

Can I call you back, like, maybe tomorrow?

Yeah. I guess. Sure.

Thanks.

Who's Pastor Newton?

He's a local minister.

I met with him about finding Charlie's mom.

I thought you'd decided to leave that

to the Sheriff.

I haven't decided anything.

I'm just trying to sort out

what's best for Charlie.

Dearest readers,

having, I believe,

discovered the identity of Charlie's mom

leaves me with a dilemma.

Most mothers can't comprehend

the act of giving up their child.

Yet having done so myself,

I have deep empathy for the pain

this young woman must be suffering.

At the same time,

I don't know if I can find the strength,

for the second time in my life,

to give away a baby I've come to adore.

When two women claimed to be

the mother of an infant,

the Biblical King Solomon

called for a sword.

"Divide the child in two, " he said,

"and give half to each... "

When the sword was raised,

the child's true mother said,

"Give her the child, but

by no means slay it... "

In his wisdom, Solomon knew

the one who loved the child most

would give it up rather than see it hurt.

Can the child's birth mother be that woman?

Can I?

I am so glad you called

back, Ms. MacGruder.

Peyton.

As I said to you on the phone,

I spoke with Ramona,

and she agreed to meet with you.

Where's the woman who was in this room?

Insisted on being discharged

early this morning.

Good. You are so good.

Okay, boys, listen up.

One of you run down to the park for me,

will you?

And make sure the American Legion float is

ready to roll after the last marching band.

Okay? Got it?

All right, away you go, quick as you can.

Thank you!

- Hey, Dot!

- Hey, boys!

Hey, Charlie.

You taking good care of King?

I'm easy.

I'm a sucker for balloons and bands.

So where's your beautiful

wife this morning?

- I thought you might know.

- What do you mean?

She was gone when we got up.

I found a note saying

she had something she had to do.

- Well, that's definitive.

- Yeah.

I think she might have a lead

on Charlie's mother.

What makes you say that?

She got a phone call last night,

something about a minister?

- Pastor Newton?

- Yeah. Newton.

Well, that's interesting.

Interesting.

This little guy's got her tied in knots.

She wants to help the mother,

but she also wants to keep Charlie.

I know. I talked to Peyton yesterday

about adopting him.

Yes, and you told her it would be possible,

which puts me in a very difficult...

King! King, behind you!

Hey!

Peyton! Wait!

Meet me at the cottage!

Violet, wait!

Please. Don't freak out. Don't...

I want to help you.

No, you don't. I heard them talking,

your husband and that woman,

about adopting Charlie, and you can't!

You can't take my baby!

- Listen to me...

- Let me go!

No, listen to me! I don't know

why you left your baby with me,

but if anyone understands

what you're going through, it's me.

And it doesn't matter what you overheard,

you've got to trust me.

I mean, at least enough to explain to me

what you were thinking

when you left Charlie on my doorstep.

Violet, look,

either you can explain it to me,

or you can explain it to the Sheriff.

It's your choice.

Now, why don't you start at the beginning?

Here you go, Violet.

Why did you leave your baby?

Because I wasn't thinking straight,

and 'cause I thought you'd help us.

I'd like to help you,

but I also want to do

what's best for Charlie.

Except you think what's best for him

is for you to be his mom.

But I love him more than life itself,

and nothing you do or say will change that!

Then why did you leave him?

I left him because I love him.

Peyton! Dot's on her way, and...

Yeah.

Look...

I was sick, okay?

Out of my head with fever.

Out of work, out of money.

Why us?

Well, I heard you on the radio,

and I went down to the bookstore

thinking that you could help me,

you know, give me some advice.

Help me figure out what to do.

And then you came in, and...

And I just left you standing there.

But it was stupid of me to think

that you could help us.

I mean, why would you?

You don't even know me.

How did Charlie end up on our porch?

I saw you in town later.

I followed you here.

What about family?

Couldn't you have called somebody?

I don't have family,

at least that I can count on.

The baby's father, what about him?

- He's gone.

- Gone?

Dead.

Let me guess, the prodigal mother.

Dot, this is Violet Johnson.

Violet, this is my friend, Dot Grey.

She owns the bookshop where we met.

She's also an attorney.

Okay, wait, I don't need a lawyer.

I just want Charlie back

so we can get on with our lives.

Violet, it's not that simple.

Why not? I made a mistake,

- thinking I was doing the right thing...

- You abandoned your child.

- No, I did not! Not really.

- Yes, you did,

in the eyes of the law, anyway.

But we don't have to tell anybody, do we?

I mean, there's got to be some way

I can prove to you...

I'm sorry, Violet, but you're gonna

have to prove it to a judge.

As an officer of the court,

I had to call the Sheriff.

What?

This her?

Okay, this is a mistake.

- I only meant to leave him for a few days.

- Come on.

- No. Please don't take him.

- Come on. Let him go.

There we go. There you go, baby.

It's okay. It's all right.

So what's your name, miss?

It's Violet, Violet Johnson.

Miss Johnson, I'm gonna have to ask you

to put your hands behind your back.

I'm gonna take you outside

and a female deputy is gonna search you.

Then I'll read your Miranda rights

and then I'm gonna

transport you off to jail.

Goodbye, Charlie. I'm so sorry.

I'll follow along and see

what more I can find out.

- Yeah.

- Mama.

It's okay.

No.

- How is she?

- Well, she's pretty shaken up.

Agreed to let me sit in

on the initial interview with the Sheriff,

to make sure she didn't say anything

that could hurt her case.

So what's her story?

Well, she was sick,

verified by Tilly Minor in Ruckston.

She lost her job as a waitress,

no place to live, no savings,

couldn't find work without child care,

couldn't afford child

care till she got a job.

- Catch-22.

- Yeah. Not uncommon in this economy.

Yeah, but no less difficult,

especially when you're a kid.

What is she, 20?

Nineteen.

- Family?

- Mother.

Lives inland a bit, a

place called Green Lake.

On Prospect Point Road. Violet's

truck is registered to that address.

Her truck?

The Sheriff had it towed.

Never put two and two together.

Well, I won't tell him

that you add better than he does.

Is there any chance that she'll see me?

I doubt that.

Violet is convinced that you want Charlie.

Is she wrong?

I...

I want what's best for everyone,

especially Charlie.

So what about bail?

I'm on my way to see the judge right now,

and already late.

I get her out, she can stay with me,

but she's gonna want to see the baby.

Unlikely a judge is gonna

allow it, unless...

What?

You're willing to supervise the visits.

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