That settled it. Mike took a day off work. On the way out, he and Polly picked up a cake and a few groceries. When they pulled up to the little house, they saw Tammy Ingram out in the yard, working in a small garden.
The moment she saw them getting out of the car, she dropped her trowel. She clearly hadn’t expected Mike to come back—much less with a child. Flustered, she brushed at the porch with her hand as if that might somehow make the place presentable.
“Good morning,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. Figured you’d written me off, and I wouldn’t have blamed you.”
“I thought about it for a while,” Mike said. “But for Susan’s sake—and for Polly’s—I think we ought to try. Susan spent her whole life wanting this meeting, whether she ever got it or not.” He stepped forward and gave the older woman a brief, awkward but sincere hug.
Polly, suddenly shy, hid behind his leg. “Hello, Polly,” Tammy said gently, crouching down. “I’m your grandma Tammy.” “Hi,” Polly mumbled.
“Want to see something?” Tammy asked. Polly looked up at her father. Mike smiled and nodded. “Okay,” Polly said.
Tammy led her into a small room where a whole collection of handmade cloth dolls sat lined up on an old couch. “Can I play with all of them?” Polly gasped, eyes shining. “Every one,” Tammy said, smiling through tears. “They’re yours now.”
“Wow!” Polly squealed, diving into the little kingdom of dolls. Tammy left her there happily occupied and came back into the kitchen.
“I’ll be grateful to you for the rest of my life,” she said, wiping her eyes with the corner of her apron. “You don’t owe me anything,” Mike said. “I just want my daughter to grow up surrounded by love.”
