Everything Changes

A Day Like Today

When Olivia knocked on Bedelia's front door, Bedelia answered it promptly. She was very surprised to see her friend, but let her enter.

"Hi, Olivia." she shut the door behind her and immediately began clearing space on the couch for her. "How did you know I was going to be home? I'm not as predictable as AJ, am I?"

"It was just a lucky guess." Olivia said in amusement as she sat down, thinking of the passing mention Bedelia had made of her crazy, jam-packed daily schedule. "I'm actually relieved that I caught you here."

"This isn't a social call, is it?" Bedelia asked as she set next to her.

Olivia shook her head. "No, and Amanda is fine, but we have a case that looks like it's being spearheaded by your husband and Kim."

"Oh, my God." Bedelia paled. "They're already here?"

Olivia nodded, sighing inwardly when it suddenly occurred to her that there was no way she could mention Odis Lee's and Kim's presences in the city without telling her about Lilyjoy and Rubyjane.

"They are, and I'm ready to move Leon, Maggie Blue, and Amanda to a safe place at a moment's notice." Olivia took out the sketch from the manila folder she was carrying, but she kept it facedown. "I need to tell you something important, but I need to show you a sketch first."

"Because you want to know if it's my husband's on that paper since Amanda-June's memories of him are scant now, huh?"

"Exactly." Olivia showed her the picture, not failing to notice how Bedelia had called her firstborn by her name. "Is this Odis Lee?"

A wide range of emotions crossed Bedelia's face in a very short amount of time as she studied the picture and imagined what could have been if her life had gone a different way.

"Yeah, that's him." Bedelia sighed as she handed the picture back. "What the hell have he and Kim done, or don't I want to know?"

"You don't want to know right now."

"Okay, Olivia. I trust you." the other woman said. "What is it that you said you wanted to tell me, besides this?"

Olivia took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "It's about Kim, and something she did."

"Lay it on me."

And so Olivia told Bedelia as much as she knew about Lilyjoy and Rubyjane. She told her about Zara, too.

By the end, Bedelia's hands were over her heart. "It destroys my heart to hear stories of children getting abandoned because the first two times I gave birth, Odis tried to get me to give AJ and Kim away, but of course I said no."

Olivia's heart skipped a beat. "Do Amanda and Kim know that about him?"

"No, thank the Lord." Bedelia let out a sigh and moved her hands to her lap. "And poor, poor Zara: I've never met her, but all I want to do is hug her."

"Zara loves people, and she really loves Amanda, so if you met her, she'd be in orbit when you tell her who you are."

Bedelia actually smiled at that. "May I go visit? Would that be alright?"

Olivia nodded. "The kids are going to be stuck in the hospital for awhile, so they'd totally love a visit. Just gave Amanda a head's up."

"I can do that."

"Good." Olivia stood, getting ready to go. "Thank you for your help."

Bedelia also stood, and she escorted her friend to the front door. "Anything I can do to be of more help, just let me know. Keep me in the loop?"