Dead Woman Crossing J.R. Adler (early reader chapter books txt) 📖

“A little too well. I didn’t even hear you come into my room this morning. I haven’t slept that well since Jessica was just a couple weeks old.” Kimberley set the half-eaten cinnamon roll down on a napkin her mother had placed in front of her while she was caught up in her own thoughts.

“I was as quiet as a mouse,” Nicole said. “Not like this elephant. Right, Jessica? Can you say ‘elephant’?”

“Ellie,” Jessica said with a giggle.

“That’s close. Can you say ‘Nana’?” Nicole grinned while smothering Jessica with kisses on her cheeks.

“Na… na,” Jessica said, sounding it out.

Nicole nearly leaped up and down. Her smile stretched so far; Kimberley feared her lips would split down the center. “Did you hear that? She said ‘Nana’!”

Kimberley couldn’t help but smile too. “Thanks, Mom, for helping out.”

“It’s my pleasure,” she said, never taking her eyes off Jessica.

Kimberley had never seen her mother happier than she was in that moment. It brought a warmness to her heart, and she knew she had made the right decision to move her and Jessica to Oklahoma. The annoyance toward her ex was still there and the anger about being passed over for a position she had rightfully earned was still present. But those feelings were miniscule compared to what she was feeling right now: contentment.

“She’s going to be stringing together sentences in no time,” Kimberley said.

“Is she behind?” Nicole asked, raising an eyebrow not in a judgmental way, more so curious than anything else.

A wave of guilt hit Kimberley just as she took a sip of the piping hot coffee. The burn on the tongue was well deserved, she thought to herself.

“No, but she’s not ahead either,” Kimberley said.

She knew the long hours, coming home too tired to interact with her baby, and only being able to afford substandard daycare, and by that she meant the old woman that lived in her building, wasn’t giving Jessica the life she deserved. And she had vowed to get her into the best daycare in Oklahoma—whatever that looked like—and spend as much time with her as her job allowed. Plus, having her own mother around would help.

“That’s alright. You were a late talker too,” Nicole said. “And then when you finally started, I couldn’t get you to shut up.” She smirked at Kimberley.

“Ha-ha,” Kimberley mocked while she pulled the cinnamon roll apart and popped another piece in her mouth.

“I’ll get you talking in no time,” Nicole said to Jessica while she nuzzled her neck.

“Where’s David?” Kimberley asked.

“He’s somewhere out on the farm, pitter-pattering with something.”

She placed Jessica in a wooden highchair, strapping her in with two straps she tied into a bow, and locking in a tray. Kimberley hadn’t even noticed it. It was clearly old, like everything else in the house, and definitely wasn’t up to the child safety standards of present day, but it was better than what she had in the city. Living in New York with sky-high rent and raising a daughter on her own, never afforded Kimberley the privilege of saving money. Oklahoma would change that and, with that, she’d provide Jessica with the best.

“I thought he was retired, and Wyatt was running the farm?” Kimberley raised an eyebrow over the top of her coffee mug.

“Ha. David won’t retire until he’s dead. He’s a hardworking man that can’t seem to sit still. If he’s not working on the farm, he’s helping out a neighbor or running errands.”

Nicole opened the fridge, pulling out an apple and a yogurt. On top of the fridge, she grabbed a box of Cheerios and a loaf of bread. “Anything she’s allergic to?” she asked before proceeding.

Kimberley shook her head. “Not that I know of. She’s been good with what I’ve given her, which is everything from takeout Chinese to takeout pizza.”

Nicole slightly frowned, but quickly rotated it into a small smile for her granddaughter.

“Such a good girl,” Nicole said, leaning over Jessica. “You get only the best in this house.” She scooped a handful of Cheerios from the box and set them on the tray table of the highchair. “Yummy, yummy. These were your mom’s favorite snack when she was a kid.”

Jessica immediately smacked her hand against the tray, making all the Cheerios bounce. She giggled uncontrollably until she popped a few in her mouth. “Ummy,” she said with glee.

“That’s right. Y-ummy,” Nicole said over pronouncing the “Y” for Jessica.

Jessica grabbed a few more and splatted them into her mouth. “Yummy,” she said.

“Good girl.” Nicole turned to Kimberley with a smile. “See, talking in no time.” She winked.

Kimberley couldn’t help but smile back. Her mother had come alive overnight. She was still frail, but she had a strength to her. The bags were still under her eyes, but the red veins had faded slightly. And her smile was so infectious that it made Jessica and even herself light up. In this moment, her mother appeared genuinely happy, and she hoped it would continue.

Nicole sliced up the apple into small pieces for her granddaughter and put them onto a small plate. She scooped a couple of spoonsful of yogurt from the container and put them on the plate too. Jessica had finished clearing the Cheerios from the tray and was now slamming her hands on the tray saying, “More.”

“Just like your mom,” Nicole joked, setting the plate on the tray. “I like to dip the apple in the yogurt,” she said while she picked up a piece, smothered it in yogurt and popped it in her own mouth.

Jessica laughed, picked up a piece of apple, dunked it into the yogurt and put it into her mouth, copying everything her grandma had just done. “Yu… mmy,” she said.

“That’s right. Yummy.” Nicole beamed.

She turned toward Kimberley. “I’ve got everything under control for now. Why don’t you go get ready for the day and pop over to Emily’s? She’s expecting you.”

“She is?”

“Oh yes. She stopped over while you were asleep,