Page 128 of Already Home

“You know you have to give up all animal products. No meat, noeggs, no dairy.”

“It’s a little daunting,” Beth admitted. “But worth a try. I’mgoing to sit in on today’s class and see what I think.”

“Good luck,” Jenna murmured.

She and Violet cleared the space around the kitchen and set upthe supplies. By eleven the store was filled with the students, but Serenityhadn’t arrived.

“That’s strange,” Jenna murmured, looking at her watch. “She’salways early.”

“Maybe she got the time wrong,” Violet said. “Do you want me tocall her?”

“I’ll do it,” Jenna said, wondering what she was going to do ifSerenity didn’t show. She could probably follow the recipe, but she wouldn’thave the same enthusiasm and charm as her mother. Serenity had a way of...

Her mind stalled, then rewound. The word reappeared. Mother? Had she thought that? Had she let down herdefenses enough to let Serenity in that far?

Apparently, she thought, still not completely sure how she feltabout all this. Beth was still the mother of her heart, but maybe, just maybe,there was room to love Serenity, as well.

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her. She grabbed itautomatically and glanced at the screen. The 707 area code was familiar.

“It’s Serenity,” she said. “She’s probably calling to say she’son her way.” She put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“J-Jenna?”

The voice sounded thick and desperate. “Tom? What’s wrong?”

“It’s... Serenity can’t make it to c-class.” His word broke ona sob.

Fear came cold and fast, wrapping around her and making it hardto breathe. She held the phone tighter. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“She’s in the hospital. She went in a couple of hours ago.”

“I don’t understand. Is she sick? Was there an accident?”

“She’s dying.”

Twenty

The drive to the hospital was a blur.Fortunately, Beth had taken charge and hustled Jenna into the car, leavingViolet to deal with the store.

Once they arrived, they found their way to the right wing, thenthe correct floor. Beth kept a firm hold of Jenna’s arm, guiding her to whereTom stood, waiting for them.

It seemed to Jenna that her father had shrunk since the lasttime she’d seen him. His eyes were red, his face ashen. He looked as if he couldhave been admitted himself. When he saw her, he lunged for her, then wrapped hisarms around her, holding on so tight, she couldn’t breathe.

“She didn’t want you to know,” he said, crying loudly. “I saidshe should tell you, but she didn’t want you to know.”

Jenna felt mercifully numb. She wasn’t an expert on shock butwould guess she was experiencing it. Nothing made sense. Not the harsh overheadlighting, the uniformed nurses, the smells of lunch service and antiseptic.

Then Dragon was there, drawing his father back, giving Jenna achance to catch her breath.

Her brother was in better shape than Tom, but not by much. Hewas pale, his expression grim.

“What the hell is going on?” Jenna demanded. “Where’sSerenity?”

“She’ll be back in a bit,” Dragon told her. He glanced at Beth.“Could you be with him?”

“Of course.”

Her mother wrapped her arm around Tom’s waist and guided him tothe chairs by the nurses’ station.

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