Oh, no, Rena thought with a wince as Bridget's face fell, the smile gone as though a cloud had passed over the sun. Without a thought, she reached out to squeeze her shoulder offering what small comfort she could. Though she had given her what she could, just as the others at the pub had, it saddened Rena that Bridget felt that emptiness in her life. Rena, too, had felt the absence of her own mother very strongly even when she was around and it was not an easy thing to live with.
It was an uncharitable thought and she knew it as soon as she thought it but part of Rena wanted to slap Abby for bringing such gloom to the child. She reprimanded herself silently, reminding herself that there was no way Abigail could have known it was a sore subject, that it was better to bring up such things when Bridget was not around to hear. Still, Rena's anger was a quickly ignited thing and upsetting Bridget was a sure-fire way to set it off. Instead of going off on Abigail in front of Bridget, though, Rena held her tongue, pressing her lips together tightly to keep from saying anything she would regret later.