Mah-Mah covered her mouth as tears made diamonds of her eyes. “I have never been so scared in mylife,” she whispered. “But those angels God sent us?” Her brows rose high as she dabbed her face with her fingers. “Those sweet, precious sisters in the lord?” She nodded and took Beth’s hands and squeezed them. “I swear the air in these woodsshookwith power.”
Beth’s tears gushed too, now. “I hadnoidea Bishop had nearly died.” And it killed her every time she imagined all of it.
Mah-Mah drew back sharply. “Don’t go blaming yourself. You were called to go where you went and do what you did and it’s done now.”
Beth wiped her face, steadying her breaths. “Whatis done? I brought a man home that deeply offends my husband and… I can’t blame him. I…” She fought with the shame twisting her guts.
“I can see that one is special,” she whispered. “I don’t know all why he’s here but thereisa reason. More than making my son jealouser than a rooster with only one hen and a visiting cousin.”
Beth gushed out a piece of laughter. “I can’t explain why or how or…whatit is about Sinrik but…” She shook her head slowly, raising her gaze to Mah-Mah. “I feel like I’m… supposed toprotect him.”
“Well, heclearlyfeels the same way about you,” she said, nodding. “I see it. It’s a holy bond, honey,” she assured softly. “For such a time as this, even while we don’t know the whys, we trust the good Lord. Oui?”
Mah-Mah pet her face and Beth forced a nod.
She placed both hands on her womb next. “How is our precious one doing?” she asked, locking a fierce, searching gaze on her. “A mother knows things. Tell me what you know.”
“He’s growing fast.” More tears gushed. “I think he’s growing…toofast.”
Mah-Mah’s brows sharpened. “Explain, honey.”
“I… he’s…. He’s bigger than he should be and… too smart.”
“Now why would you cry about a thing like that?” Mah-Mah cooed, making her sob more.
“Because I don’t want him to be hurt by…” Her words barely squeaked past the turmoil.
“Alright,” Mah-Mah soothed as Beth fought to catch her breath. “He’ll be alright, don’t worry about that. No matter what happens, he’ll beal-right.”
The conviction in her strong voice came with another hug and this time Beth buried herself inside every bit of it. “I’m so scared, Mah-Mah,” she barely confessed.
“What are you scared about, honey?” she pressed softly. “Get it out of that pretty head of yours. Don’t let it fester.”
“Everything,” she gushed quietly. “And for everyone.”
“You sense the same thing this whole swamp does, honey. We all feel it.”
Beth shuddered as the baby jerked in her womb. She held the woman’s gaze. “What is it, Mah-Mah?”
“Oh chile,” she barely said, heatedly, hand stroking her head then holding her at arm’s length. “This here is theendthat we’re feeling.” Her smile trembled with her whisper. “But… that’s not the part that concerns me.”
Beth’s pulse tripled as she waited for Mah-Mah to speak what hid in her mind too.
“It’s what’s beginning that concerns me, baby.” A grave passion hardened her gaze as she nodded slowly. “And what’s still coming.”
A wave of nausea swept over Beth.
“Oh, honey.”
Beth shook her head, breathing slowly as she sat on a hamper. “I’m fine, just… need a…” God, she needed Bishop. “What time is it?”
Mah-Mah looked at her watch. “Knockin’ on nine-thirty. You want me to call my son? Let him know he needs to get you home?”
Beth nodded, not caring where she went, as long as it was with him.
“You hold on,” she ordered softly, fishing her phone from the pocket of her floor-length red skirt.
Was this what Mah-Mah needed to tell her? Or was it something else?