CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Emily was hit with a torrent of emotions; shock, fear, and disbelief all swirled together inside of her. But the feeling that overwhelmed her most was the need to protect Chantelle, to keep her safe from the emotional harm that Sheila’s sudden appearance could inflict upon her.
It took Emily all of two seconds to size Sheila up and realize she was as high as a kite. The woman wavered on the doorstep, her eyes glazed and unfocused. She was pale, thinner than the last time Emily had seen her, her collar bone protruding sharply beneath her grubby white tank top.
Emily didn’t need to ask Sheila what she was doing here because the answer was patently obvious. She wanted to see Chantelle. She wanted to intrude on their happy life and stake a claim to the child who no longer
