Page 130 of Already Home

“Doesn’t that strike you as monumentally selfish?”

“You were a missing part of her life.”

Jenna shoved her cell back in her pocket and covered her face.Then she dropped her arms.

“Ellington knew,” she breathed. “That’s why she went to seehim. That’s why he was on her side. He knew what was happening.” Her frustrationgrew. “I don’t accept this.”

Beth stood, watching her.

Jenna wiped away her tears. “I know why now. I know why, so mynew question is, why wait? Why did she have to wait so long?”

“People make choices for reasons we can never understand.”

“I hate her.”

“No, you don’t. You love her. That’s the problem.”

Jenna looked at her mother. “I don’t love her.”

Beth smiled. “Yes, you do. A little. Not in the same way youlove me, but there’s a connection. It’s okay,” she added. “I’m nearly matureenough not to mind.”

Dragon came out of the hospital. “She wants to talk toyou.”

Jenna marched up to him. “You should have told me,” she yelled.“I had the right to know.”

“That’s what I told her,” he admitted, anguish in his eyes.“She didn’t want you to know because she knew it would change everything.”

“Death has a way of doing that,” Jenna snapped.

“Everyone gets a flaw.”

She saw the pain in his expression. Her voice softened. “I’msorry. She’s your mother. This must be horrible for you.”

“I’ll get by.”

“I called Violet to come take care of you.”

His smile was weary. “She doesn’t need to be here.”

“I think she wants to be here.” She turned back to thehospital. “I have to go inside, don’t I?”

Her mother came up and put a hand on her back. “I’ll be righthere.”

Jenna turned on her. “You’re not hiding any big secrets, areyou?”

“No, Jenna. Everything is fine.” Beth drew in a breath. “We’regoing to have to be strong for Serenity.”

Jenna looked at Dragon. “How long?”

He winced. “Days. Maybe weeks.”

Jenna felt the sharp stab to her belly. “Okay,” she whispered.“I can do this.”

She led the way back inside and went upstairs. As she pausedoutside of Serenity’s door, she told herself that everything would be all right.That she would be strong and support her family and have a small but tastefulbreakdown later.

She walked into the hospital room.

Tom sat by Serenity, holding her hand. Serenity looked much asshe had since Jenna had known her. Thin and pale, but still beautiful. Whentheir eyes met, Serenity shook her head.

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