A Mother at Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

nurse, just like Aunty Caitlin, and help her in her hospital in Na…Nomimo,” she continued, snuggling into her father’s neck.
    â€œNanaimo,” Jake corrected, giving his daughter a tight hug. “That’s a good thing to be, sweetie. But if you don’t get your sleep, you won’t grow, and then you can’t be a nurse.” He jogged up the stairs to miss the rest of the pictures, aware of his daughter’s penchant for dawdling. And tonight he didn’t feel like indulging her. Much as he disliked to acknowledge it, he wanted to be downstairs with Miriam.
    A night-light shed a soft glow over Taryn’s room. Jake lay Taryn down on her bed, careful not to disturb the row of stuffed animals that sat along the side, next to the wall. He tucked her in and sat beside her, his arms on either side of her shoulders.
    Taryn smiled up at her father, and a wave of pure, sweet love washed over Jake. He bent over and gave her another quick kiss. “Time for your prayers.”
    â€œWe have to pray for Grandpa, don’t we?” Taryn said, her soft hazel eyes shining up at him in the muted light.
    â€œYes, we want him to stay healthy, don’t we?”
    â€œShould we pray for Miriam?”
    Jake felt his heart skip at her name. He took a quick breath, frowning down at his daughter. “What did you say?”
    â€œI asked, ” Taryn began, putting emphasis on the last word as if to show Jake that he was being particularly obtuse, “if I should pray for Miriam.”
    â€œYou barely know her. Which reminds me, what about this book you were talking about?”
    Taryn sat up like a shot and, shifting around, pulled a worn scrapbook from under her pillow. She handed it to him.
    â€œIt has pictures of you in it.” Taryn smiled, eager for the reprieve from sleep. “And pictures of my Mommy and pictures of the pretty lady. Miriam. I’ll show you.” Taryn reached for the book, and, reluctantly, Jake gave it back. He didn’t like the idea of Taryn living in the past, creating fantasies about Paula. But he also knew that it wasn’t fair to take what little she had away.
    Taryn flipped quickly through the pages of pictures from high school—a few of them of Jake—then she stopped and tilted the book in his direction. Jake felt his heart stop as he looked directly at a picture of Miriam.
    In the picture she wore a mauve silk dress held up with narrow, jeweled straps. Diamonds sparkled at her neck, her ears, her fingers, all discreetly proclaiming money. Her mouth was quirked in what he knew was her cynical smile, her head tilted back as if she were laughing at some private joke. Her dark hair framed her face, short tendrils accenting her high cheekbones, the exotic tilt of her eyes. A slicklydressed man wearing a tuxedo stood beside her, his arm resting in a proprietary manner on her shoulder.
    â€œWhy did Mommy have pictures of Miriam in her book?”
    Jake blinked, pulling himself back to the present. “She used to be your mommy’s best friend,” Jake murmured, turning the page to find yet another color picture of Miriam. It was a makeup advertisement. Miriam’s face took up the whole page, her head angled slightly downward, her eyes glancing up, her shining mouth holding the hint of a smile. Jake swallowed as he stared at the picture. It was Miriam, and yet not. How many times had he seen that look on her face—across a classroom, in the hallways of school; whenever she would tease him, flirt with him?
    â€œI want to show Miriam the pictures, okay?” Taryn gathered up the book and made to jump out of bed, but Jake stopped her.
    â€œNo,” he said firmly, taking the book away from her and setting it on the bedside table. “I’m sure Miriam has seen these pictures herself. And you need to sleep.” He pulled the blankets up around her and tucked her in. She said her prayers, and Jake said them with