“And then if it’s not enough that you look beautiful, you act beautiful. All the time. You’re sweet and funny and so supportive—I bet it’s just the way you are because it never seems phony or like you have to try. You’re kind. You treat people with such consideration. But you’re strong—there’s something about strength in a woman that’s enviable. Admirable. And you know what else I love—you seem fearless. I guess when a woman’s been on her own with kids, she’d better be fearless or the earth would just swallow her up! Yes, Lola, you’re sexy and beautiful and I love looking at you. Holding you is probably even better.”

    Her eyes welled up and tears spilled over. With a cry, she fled the porch. She ran into the house, leaving him alone.

    He sat for a minute. “I guess I better practice my delivery a little,” he said to no one.

    * * *

    Sierra was not entirely surprised when Maggie called her, but she was a little surprised by the request. “Can you come over? I have a couple of things to show you.”

    She went as soon as she could. She found Cal in the kitchen chopping veggies, marinating salmon filets. “Maggie’s in the bedroom. Go ahead.”

    She gave a couple of taps before pushing the door open. She was immediately pulled into Maggie’s arms for a loving hug.

    “I guess Cal told you,” Sierra said.

    “Yep. I have some things for you to try on. I’m taller than you are but they might not be too big.” There were clothes spread on the bed. She held up a black sleeveless dress and matching jacket. “We can have this shortened and taken in and you can keep it. I’m due a new one and I have no idea what size I’ll be after the baby comes. Jaycee said to count on an extra size. Every woman needs a suit. I used to call this my funeral suit but it worked very well in court.”

    “Court?”

    “Oh, I’m sure you heard. I was the defendant in a wrongful death suit. It was a nightmare, really. I was terrified I might lose in spite of the fact I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t make any mistakes.”

    “I think I know the feeling,” Sierra said.

    “Well, you’re not going to court, don’t worry about that. Then there are these,” she said, holding up a pair of cream-colored dress slacks with a silky blouse and a matching vest. Next there was a pencil skirt and a sweater set.

    “What’s this about?” Sierra asked.

    “Unless you’re hiding something, your wardrobe is made up of jeans, shorts, sweats, T-shirts and so forth. You should go to the police department looking classy. Smart. Your lawyer will be wearing a suit. He’s delicious in a suit—I live for those days he puts on a suit. You can’t go to the police department to be questioned about a felony looking like a homeless teenager. Cal will take you by a store for the right shoes. My feet are more like paddles than feet or I’d loan you shoes.”

    Tears gathered in Sierra’s eyes. One of these days, she thought, I am going to actually break down and cry.

    “I want to come with you, but I can’t,” Maggie said. “But I bet I can help—I’ve been through about a million depositions as the alleged guilty party. It can be brutal.”

    “Oh, Maggie...”

    “You’re going to be all right,” she said. “Cal is brilliant. He was one of the most sought after criminal defense attorneys in Michigan. Before Lynne died. He knows the ropes.”

    “I know,” she said with a sniff.

    “Well, come on, let’s try it on,” she said. She sat down on the bed, rubbing her belly. “I know someone who can make alterations for us in a hurry but we have a few days. I think he’s got plane tickets for the weekend...”

    “Sunday,” Sierra said. “I took a week off at the diner—I said it was a legal matter, that I had an accident over a year ago and there’s a deposition for a lawsuit, but that I wasn’t in trouble. I hope that’s true. A week. Those high school waitresses are getting all the time they need.” She pulled her shirt off over her head.

    “If they fire you, we’ll find something else. Maybe something better,” Maggie said. “Don’t worry about stuff like that. This is survival. We’re all going to back you up.”

    Off came the shorts. She slipped the little black dress over her head and turned around for Maggie to zip up the back.

    “Wow,” Maggie said. “That’s close. I think we need to take it in a little bit, right up the side seams and raise the hem a couple of inches. It has to fit right and be the exact right length—you can’t wear it too short or too long. Cal says when you’re perceived as guilty, you don’t go to court with tight, revealing clothes but it’s even worse if you try to look Amish. Style and taste, that’s the prescription. Whether people realize it or not, their first impressions are hard to erase.”

    Sierra put on the jacket which seemed to fit in the shoulders.

    “A little hem in the sleeves—they’re a little too long,” Maggie said. “We might be okay on the length. What do you think?”

    Sierra turned in front of the mirror. “It’s beautiful, Maggie. Thank you. I never would have thought of this. What I’d wear was the furthest thing from my mind.”

    “I bet you’re terrified,” Maggie said. “I certainly was for my lawsuits. And I’m pretty brave.”

    “There are so many parts of this adventure that scare me, I can’t even describe,” Sierra said. “It feels like a problem with a lot of moving parts.”

    “Sierra, have you had counseling?”

    Sierra nodded. “It came up in rehab. I cheated—I didn’t tell the whole story. Well, I wasn’t sure of the whole story. I suspected we hit something and he acted like we hit a person but I thought... I hoped he was just trying to terrify me. Sexual assault came up a lot in rehab.” She shook her head sadly. “I never would have imagined how hard it is, how much shame is involved in rape.”