Page 37 of An Endless Memory

“Hey, Cali.”

She kicked her feet and met my gaze in the rearview mirror.

“I need to talk to you about Eliot.”

“I like him.”

Same, girl. Same. “Well, he and I… We had to…” What could a six-year-old keep secret? “We like each other and we got married, but it isn’t going to be like the traditional marriage I had with your dad.”

“You’re married?”

I nodded.

“Can I see the ring?”

She’d rather know about the jewelry. We’d discussed why I no longer had the ring her father had given me. Was her question a sign she wouldn’t hang her father-figure hopes and dreams on Eliot? “We didn’t get them. Listen, I wanted you to know that nothing will really change. Eliot’s job is in a different state, and we live in Crocus Valley. We actually might not see him a lot.”

“Oh.” Disappointment rang in her tone.

Same, girl. “Grandpa or Aunt Linda might ask about him. He’s going to live with us, but you know, he might not be around a lot because of his job.”

“Okay.”

Okay. That was…easy.

We pulled into the garage. I was looking forward to a mellow night at home. Cali unbuckled, and I was gathering the diaper bag and my purse when my phone rang. Mom’s name flashed on the screen. My stomach dropped.

When I sent Linda a copy of the marriage certificate, she said she would talk to everyone this weekend. I told her I’d wait for her to inform them of Grandma’s will and trust, and then I’d be ready for their call. I might’ve copped out and let Linda rip off the bandage so I could bask in not worrying about losing my house before I faced my parents’ concerns.

“Hello?” I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Lily!” Mom’s voice boomed out of the phone. “You’re married?”

“Now’s not a good time to talk about it.” Cali didn’t think it was a big deal, but if she heard Mom’s cries, she would. “How about I call you?—”

“You can start by picking us up.”

My heart thumped so hard I feared it knocked itself out. “What?”

“We’re at the airport in Crocus Valley.”

“What?”

“Your father used the company jet as soon as we heard. Why didn’t you come to us when Linda was going to kick you out?”

They were in town? Now? What about my basking?

I was being selfish. Immature. Learning not to turn to my family whenever I had a hiccup was one thing, but I had to stop hiding from them when things weren’t ideal. “What could you have done?”

“You married someone you just met!”

My head was spinning. I pressed my fingers against my temples. The speech I’d rehearsed to explain everything as succinctly as possible vanished from my head. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

I hung up. My phone pinged with a text.

Then another. I didn’t have to look to know my siblings were the ones texting. Linda was just going to pass on the trust information. Had Mom and Dad told everyone I’d gotten married?

“Cali, can you buckle up? Grandma and Grandpa came to visit, and we have to pick them up.”

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