Page 100 of Broken Halo

“Hell, she was my mom. How do you think I feel?”

She lays her hand on my jaw. “Given your father, you should be proud. Knowing Faye, she would never allow a child to suffer. She did what she could to protect you and she did the same for your sister. I loved Faye and I believe she did the best she could with what life handed her.”

I’m not sure what I think of my mother, but I’m not about to admit that.

“We have to find her and meet her, Trig. We have to.”

Luckily, I don’t get the chance to agree or disagree, since I have no idea how I feel about it, because Griffin interrupts and starts babbling over the monitor. I look at the wooden box and wonder what the hell else my mother kept hidden my entire life. “You get Griff before he climbs the walls and I’ll clean this shit up. The movers will be here anytime with the furniture.”

She doesn’t completely listen because she kisses me fast and a huge smile takes over her face. “You have a sister! I wonder what she’s like?”

I deflect because I have enough shit on my plate right now. “Your dad showed up at your old house this morning to kiss my ass because he misses you.”

Her eyes go big. “What?”

“Yeah. See? Both our families are fucked up.”

She glares at me for two beats when Griffin hollers louder and she moves off my lap but still throws me a look over my shoulder. “It doesn’t matter how fucked up my family is. You’re going to call those doctors so we can meet your long-lost sister.”

Shit.

28

Deeper the Love, Greater the Wreck

Lean on the ones who love you. They know your stink better than anyone.

Ellie

“I can’t believe you’re moving in with him.” Jen stands, staring out toward the lake and trees and flowers that used to be Faye’s but are now ours. I have a lot of work to do, no one has tended these gardens in months and they’re overgrown—Faye would have a conniption. “I mean, I can believe it. You’re welcome, by the way.” She looks at me over her shoulder. “This was all my doing. He never would have been your attorney had I not forced him to work for me.”

I roll my eyes and keep unpacking boxes in the kitchen. “I know you think you run the world, but not everything goes down per your command. And if you’re the one who’s orchestrated all this shit that’s gone down lately, I don’t care that you are my sister, I’ll take you out myself.”

She shrugs like she doesn’t give a shit because she probably doesn’t. “Whatever. You’re back with Trig and you’re playing house. That’s all that matters. Oh, and that Dad finally pulled his head out of his ass. Mom called this morning and told me that she told him, in her words, to get out of her kitchen and go make things right with our baby or don’t come back.”

“Trig told me a little bit before you got here. I don’t care how Dad feels. Whether he’s happy or mad, he’d damn well better hide it. I’ve had enough.” Apparently so had my mother. She stopped by first thing this morning and grand-napped Griffin. She told me she was keeping him for two, maybe three days. If his squeals were any indication, he was just as excited to see her. But he knows when he spends time at the ranch, he gets whatever he wants, mainly treats from his grandmother and visiting the horses with my dad.

“Cam called,” she goes on and starts to dig through another box for me. “I’m sending the jet up next week and they’re coming for a visit. He and Paige want to see you and feel bad they haven’t been down sooner with everything that’s happened.”

I smile. “I can’t wait to see Rose again. I bet she’s getting so big.”

My brother and his new wife just had a baby. So much has happened since they were married last fall, it’s almost dizzying to think about.

Jen and I chat and laugh until a comfortable silence settles over us.

“You know I love you,” I say, still unpacking my box.

Jen stops stacking my favorite white bowls, turns to me, and frowns.

“I made it through because of you,” I go on.

She gives her head a little shake. “Stop it.”

I can’t because she has to know. “You had Cam and when it felt like I lost everything, I had you.”

She swallows and her voice hitches. “No, stop it. You’re going to make me cry and I hate crying.”

I move to her and lift up on my toes to wrap my sister up. “That’s because you’re you. I cry all the time.”

---