What a Mother Knows Read Online Free PDF Page A

Then it was over, and all was still.
    Michelle felt the pressure lift around her, like a seat belt unbuckling, an airbag deflating. She caught her breath and let it go. What she wanted was to feel alive, connected, but all she felt was alone. Drew pulled the covers over her and let his hand linger on her hip. Then he rolled over.
    She climbed out of bed slowly and went to the bathroom to clean up. The moon lit the room through the window so there was no need to turn on the light. In the silence, she heard the crickets sing. She wondered whether Drew could hear them from the bedroom, whether he recognized their call. When she got back to bed, he was snoring. She blew out the candle.

3
    The aroma of strong coffee woke Michelle the next morning. Confused, she opened her eyes, expecting to see long tubes of fluorescent light above her hospital bed. Instead, there was a smooth white ceiling. She basked in the warm sunshine streaming in over the headboard and considered the empty trough in the mattress beside her. She was sore from their reunion, but that was to be expected, wasn’t it? Then she realized the bright room faced west. She must have slept late.
    Michelle spotted her bathrobe draped over the chair of her vanity, where the spring bouquet now rested. She stood up slowly and inhaled the fresh perfume of the daisies before slipping on her robe. She ignored the cane leaning against the chair and headed down the hall to the kitchen. Drew was reading a newspaper at the dinette. A plate of sandwich crusts lay in front of him. “Good morning! What time is it?”
    â€œAfternoon,” he said. “Would you like some French Roast?”
    â€œDefinitely,” Michelle said, sitting carefully. Drew circled a trash bag full of party debris, then poured her a fresh cup with far too much milk. She took a sip, then noticed that the orchid plant was here on the dinette.
    â€œLooks like you’ve been busy. Sorry I wasn’t up to help.”
    â€œTyler helped. He’s out walking the dog.”
    â€œIs Nikki with him?”
    Drew shook his head. “Can I make you some toast?”
    â€œNo, thanks.” She looked back down the hallway to Nikki’s closed door. “Shall we wake her up? I can’t wait any longer.”
    He bit his lip, but didn’t answer.
    Michelle hurried back through the foyer. “Nikki! Rise and shine, honey! It’s me!” No answer. She knocked on the door.
    â€œDon’t, Michelle,” Drew warned.
    â€œDon’t what?” Michelle asked. “Nikki! Come on, I’m dying to see you!”
    She turned the doorknob. It was locked. She rattled it, then looked up. “Didn’t you pick her up this morning? Is her flight late?”
    â€œNot exactly.” She turned to see Drew with his arms crossed over his chest.
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    He squeezed his eyes shut as if enduring unbearable pain. “She’s not here.”
    â€œDid something happen in Australia?”
    â€œShe didn’t go to Australia. I didn’t want to upset you, so I made that up.”
    Michelle blanched as if she had been struck. “You what?” She rattled the knob again. “No. She told me about it last summer, right before she left.”
    â€œHer last visit was the December before that. After they induced the coma.”
    â€œNo, I definitely saw her after I woke up.” She pounded on the door.
    â€œYou must have imagined it.”
    Michelle stopped pounding. She imagined it? She envisioned her daughter’s brown eyes, sparkling as she described her upcoming trip. Lexi had warned her about confusing memories with imagination. Michelle tried to sort the swirling fragments in her mind. “Are you sure?”
    â€œYou had plenty of visitors, Michelle—some you didn’t recognize at first. But Nikki wasn’t one of them.”
    â€œThen where is she?” She saw the dark look on Drew’s face and