Page 87 of Unraveled

“I– I don’t know. It just can’t be as simple as that. I heard Aunt Helen apologizing tobothmy grandmums.”

Mom scooted forward on her seat, but Nic’s glare made her pause, and she placed her hands in her lap. “Nic… You did hear me apologize. I did with Aggie because she’d lost all those years with your father and uncle and all of her grandchildren. It was never my intention that your uncle and father lose their family. Just like I never meant for your mom to lose time with hers. I’ve always felt guilty about that.”

“You shouldn’t.” Uncle Dimitris was firm before looking at Nic. Your grandmum apologized that day, too. She asked us all to forgive her for not standing up to your grandfather. But at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to go against her husband’s wishes. It took her being on her deathbed before she pressured him into letting us come back to say goodbye.”

“How did they find you if they disowned you? Y’all said it had been over twenty years.” I looked between the three of them when I asked, and then the answer hit me. “Aunt Sophie.”

My uncle nodded. “Yes. Her parents kept in touch, and I brought them out to visit us in London a couple of times a year. They wanted to know their grandson, and I didn’t want my wife to lose all touch with her family, too.Sophie kept them updated on the family all the time. On everyone here, too, with the updates from your parents. So, when my mum found this out, they shared what they knew with her. Even though she couldn’t stand up to my father, she’d been keeping track of all of us for years. I didn’t know that until I spoke with Sophie’s parents after the funeral.”

“It doesn’t sound like the trip to Greece was all bad then.” Annie squeezed my hand from her place on my lap, and Dad smiled as if he was thinking to himself.

“No, it wasn’t. We were able to heal a little that week.”

Nic suddenly shoved off the wall and brushed roughly past Jenna and Bridgette as he cut across the room. We all jumped when he slammed the door behind him, and Izzy quickly stood, taking a few steps to follow before my uncle held his hand up, stopping her.

“Let him go, Izzy. I doubt he’ll be very receptive right now. We just tore apart what he’d latched his anger onto for months. Give him time.”

I could see the war between staying and going playing out over her face until Tucker took her hand. Giving in, she let him pull her back onto his lap, and his arms wrapped around her as he whispered in her ear.

I didn’t miss the glare on Bridgette’s face as she watched them.

I just wished her anger made sense.

Uncle Dimitris looked around at all of us gathered in the room. “I’m sorry, everyone. Nic wasn’t raised to behave this way. He’s had a very hard time lately.”

Chuck shook his head. “Think nothing of it. We’ve brought enough drama today ourselves, and what you said outside helped us all understand a little more.”

“Still, his behavior is awful. I’m worried about how lost he is.”

Mom leaned over Dad to pat him on the knee. “I imagine getting over something like that will take time. He’ll find his way again.”

“Thank you for telling us what happened to you all in Greece,” Jenna said from her spot across from mine and Annie’s. “We had no idea. All these years and you never mentioned… I’m just so sorry. Chuck and I had a rough patch while dating but nothing like that. Nothing that made us sacrifice our family.”

I watched Izzy glance at Tucker with a worried look, and he squeezed her thigh like he was telling her it would be okay. Catching my frown, Tucker gave a slight shake of his head. Whatever it was, he couldn’t tell me now.

“Don’t be sorry.” The tightness in Mom’s voice caught my attention when I glanced back, and I watched her hard swallow. “I knew what I was giving up, and I knew it was worth it. Look at the beautiful life I have now. Nothing could make me regret my decision, and I’d make the same one today if given the chance to change it.”

She looked imploringly around the room. “But do y’all see now why it’s so important for you to stop fighting? To work things out? A feud tore our families apart, and if you let this fight and all this resentment take over, you’re going to lose each other. We’ve all been too close for too many years to let that happen. Over something like awedding. Something worthcelebrating.”

She looked directly at Bridgette. “If Jet came to me and told me he planned to marry Annietomorrow, I’d be the first one there. Because I know what my parents’ blessing would have meant to me when I married Stef. I couldunderstand protesting this wedding if Izzy was choosing someone harmful for her, but you’ve known Tucker almost his entire life. What you said to him outside was hurtful and bitter, and I don’t believe for a second that you really feel that way. So, whatever reason you’re holding onto that’s making you protest this wedding, therealreason, you need to let it go. I can tell you from experience that Izzy will put her heart first. If you don’t find a way to accept her decision and be there for her, you may lose your own daughter.”

Chapter 27

ISABEL

Silence pulsed in the room when Helen was done, but emotion clogged my chest with her kind defense. I mouthed a quietthank youto her, and we exchanged small smiles, but when I looked at Mom, any hope that remained within me drained from my body at her expression. It was hard, matching her eyes and the set of her jaw as she stared at the wall somewhere behind me. Nothing about her body language even hinted that she was willing to talk.

I swallowed, gripping Tucker’s arm, and he ran a hand along my back as I gathered the courage to speak. “Mom?”

Slowly, she shook her head, and her gaze went back to Helen. “I understand what you’re saying. And I’ll admit that I didn’t mean what I said to Tucker.” She looked at Jenna and Chuck next. “I’m sorry. That was me lashing out when I shouldn’t have. To y’all, too. But I do hold a lot of frustration towards him. As good as he is for Izzy, her life has been nothing but hard since they’ve been together.”

Jenna’s lips pressed together, her eyes watering, and Chuck nodded slowly, accepting. “I can understand that. Thank you.”

“Don’t put all the blame on Tucker like you’re not part of the reason our lives have been hard.” Annie glared, killing the moment, and Mom tilted her head back in exasperation.

“I’ll get to you in a minute, Annabel.”

Annie’s eyes flashed with irritation, and I shot her a look, begging her to hold it in so I could have achanceat getting through to Mom. Tucker’s body suddenly grew stiff beneath mine, and I was surprised to see that Mom was now focused on him.

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