“Mom? What’s wrong?” I blurted out.
She turned the blanket over.
In one corner was a tiny embroidered silver star.
She stared at it for several seconds.
Then she grabbed the second blanket.
Another silver star.
“Oh, God,” she whispered.
“Mom, you’re frightening me,” I said. “Please tell me what’s going on!”
She sat down heavily and asked, “Where did these come from?”
“I told you. Someone delivered them,” I replied.
“Did you give them Emily’s address?”
“No! Why would I?”
My mother suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Promise me you won’t take these to the hospital.”
I stared at her.
“WHY?”
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
For the first time in my life, my mother looked genuinely terrified.
“There’s something I should have told you years ago.”
Before I could ask what she meant, my phone buzzed.
An unknown number flashed on my phone screen.
I answered.
