Chapter 71: Chapter 71

“I will never forgive Frank for what he did. And he knows it.” She shook her head. “It was so hard to keep on going after Jimmy…left. I love all my sons, but Jimmy, he’s…my baby. He’s special.”

“He is,” Barry said softly.

“Truth was,” Bess briefly looked up at Barry before her gaze returned to her wringing hands. “I knew Jimmy would be better off here with Jake and the Pierces.” She wiped her eyes. “Isn’t that a horrible thing to admit?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Yes it is. A mother having to admit that someone else could raise her child better than she could.”

“I’m not a mother, so it’s hard for me to say, but isn’t one of a mother’s jobs to see that her children are safe?”

Bess nodded uncertainly.

“You knew Jimmy would be safe here with the Pierces.”

“I guess,” Bess admitted, but Barry could see she wasn’t convinced.