Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

woman pulled Patsy aside.
"I'll be candid with you; Grace shows all the signs of posttraumatic stress disorder."
Patsy blinked. "Post what?"
310 K I N G S B U R Y
Grace was sitting ten feet away. The woman glanced at her, and lowered her voice. "Mrs. Landers, the
events that have taken place recently in your granddaughter's life are affecting her deeply. In my opinion,
she's suffering from depression."
Depression. The word was like a tourniquet around Patsy's heart even now Depression? How was it
possible? Yes, the child was bound to miss the Bronzans, but certainly she'd get over it. After all, Patsy
had loved Grace since she was an infant. There were times in Grace's four short years when she stayed
with Patsy for months on end before Leslie would come around and whisk her away somewhere. Patsy
had been a rock for Grace.
So why now, when Grace knew she would never have to
leave, was she struggling with depression?
Patsy sighed. As if those troubles weren't enough, ten days ago
she received the first letter in the mail. She stared at the letters
again. The first was from Leslie; the second, from a woman who
claimed to have a cell next to Leslie's in prison.
Leslie's letter was written in pencil. Patsy picked it up, feeling
the same queasy feeling she'd felt the first time she saw it. Leslie's
attorney's name and address were on the return corner of the
envelope, and the moment Patsy received it she knew there had
either been a problem or a miracle.
Leslie simply wouldn't have written otherwise.
The letter took up less than a page, and Patsy studied it once
more. Leslie had written it for one reason: to inform Patsy that the
minute prison officials released her, she'd be back for Grace. Not
only that, but apparently she'd dreamed up some way to make a
living.
Patsy's eyes ran over the strange last line in the letter: Besides,
I've thought of a way we can make enough money to survive. I know
300
we'll never go hungry. Kiss her f or me. Leslie.
We? Who was we? Leslie and Grace? What possible way could Leslie and Grace make money? Patsy had
studied the line for a long time and decided Leslie must have been referring to a boyfriend, someone she
planned to live with once she was out.
However Leslie intended to make money, Patsy doubted her
methods would be legal. That afternoon, when Patsy finished reading the letter, she was on the phone with
Edna Parsons. "She can't take Grace, can she?"
When Edna hesitated, panic raced through Patsy. "Well, that's tricky. If Grace were adopted to another
family, the answer would be no. But since you're her mother, the courts see it as a gray area."
The social worker went on to explain that if Patsy welcomed her daughter into her home and allowed her
to visit with Grace, it would be very possible that one day Leslie would be given custody again.
"Besides, you haven't actually adopted Grace yet. You're her legal guardian, but even that becomes open
to interpretation once the courts deem Leslie has paid her debt to society"
"You mean she could hire an attorney and fight me for custody?" Mrs. Parsons let loose a small huff. "If
you welcome Leslie into your home, she could leave with Grace, and unless she breaks a law, no agency