A Mother's Heart by Isabel Sharpe, Sharon Sala, Linda Cardillo Read Free Book Online

money.”
    “Your can money? What’s that?” Sam asked.
    “I pick up aluminum cans from everywhere and when I get a garbage sack full, Mama takes me to the recycle place where I sell ’em. I make good money that way.”
    Sam’s conscience tugged. Good money, indeed. Libbywas teaching their son to work for his money. Good for her. But it didn’t make him feel so good, knowing that it was his lack of faith and distrust in her that had caused this eight-year split.
    “This is Mama’s room,” Sammy said, as he bolted across the hall. “You can sleep here.”
    Sam only glanced at the room. He needed to be alone to face that. This would be the closest to any kind of intimacy with her since their fight, and he wasn’t taking it lightly.
    “That’s great. I will take good care of everything,” Sam said.
    Sammy nodded, then felt obligated to remind him. “Remember, Mama doesn’t like messes.”
    “I’ll remember.”
    Kate appeared in the hallway. “Sammy, we need to leave now. You boys have school tomorrow.”
    “If it’s okay with Mrs. Wyatt, I would like to take you to visit your mama tomorrow.”
    Sammy turned to Kate. “Can I, Grandma Kate? Can he take me to the hospital tomorrow?”
    “We’ll see,” Kate said.
    They knew better than to argue and Sam didn’t push the issue. Instead, he took Kate’s hand in both of his and squeezed it gently. “It was a pleasure to meet you…you and your boys. Thank you for everything, including looking after Sammy’s welfare.”
    Kate nodded. “He’s like one of my own,” Kate said. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” Then she gathered up the trio. “Boys…load up,” she said. However, Sammy lingered behind after the others were heading for the car.
    “Um…uh…am I supposed to call you Dad or something?” Sammy asked.
    Sam sighed. So much confusion for such a little guy.He got down on one knee so that they were eye to eye. “What do you want to call me?” Sam asked.
    “Daddy. I want to call you Daddy.”
    It was impossible not to catch the anticipation in Sammy’s voice. “I’d like that,” Sam said. “And would it be okay if I sometimes call you Sammy and sometimes call you son?” Sam countered.
    Sammy beamed and nodded.
    “Guess we’d better shake on it,” Sam said and offered his hand, but his son had other ideas. He threw his arms around Sam’s neck.
    “Thank you for coming to find us, Daddy,” he said softly.
    Ignoring the shaft of pain in his heart, Sam nodded, then added a quick kiss on the side of the little boy’s cheek. His voice was thick with emotion as he added, “Sleep well, Son, and I promise, I won’t get lost from you and your mama again.”
    “Okay. ’Night, Daddy,” Sammy said, and bounded off the porch toward Kate’s car with a spring in his step.
    Sam waved from the front door, then went inside.
    Now he was alone.
    In Libby’s house.
    The whole situation was surreal. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his mother’s number, knowing she would have been anxious to hear how the meeting had gone. She answered on the second ring.
    “Hello?”
    “Mom, it’s me. I made it here just fine. I’ve already seen Libby. She’s in ICU, still in a coma. Doctors aren’t giving out much details, but I think it’s because they don’t know what else to do for her. As for Sammy…I don’t know what to say.”
    Gracie frowned. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you two hit it off?”
    “No, no, it’s nothing like that. I’m just overwhelmed by what seeing him made me feel.” Then he sighed. “How long did it take you to bond with me when I was born?”
    “True love at first sight,” Gracie said.
    “Yeah…me, too,” Sam said softly. “Sammy isn’t quite as sure, but he’s willing to give me a chance.”
    Gracie sighed. “Thank God.”
    “Yeah, and thank you, too, Mom.”
    “For what?”
    “Oh…the phone call, and everything.”
    “You’re welcome, Sam. Have a nice night.”
    “You, too. I’ll call