Brooke strolled over and knelt beside her. She put her hand on Florence’s arm. “Don’t worry. I told them what happened.”
Florence couldn’t look Brooke in the face. She just rocked back and forth, humming, trying to soothe Lawrence. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I couldn’t get my mind off Robbie, and it just festered up.”
“I know. Don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault.”
Lawrence didn’t eat much and dozed off. Brooke helped her to her feet.
“Come on back inside. It sounds like Daddy’s finished with the service.”
Florence followed Brooke back in and sat down where she was sitting before. “I’m sorry.”
Everyone immediately accepted her apology; then she spelled out what had happened with Robbie. John only said ‘God is testing you . . . be strong’, and he let it go at that. Meli
