Page 77 of When You Are Mine

“The river is clean and pure and strong.” Kristeene’s eyes popped open in one last moment of clarity. “And it’s a force of nature. Literally. It cuts through rocks. And once the course was set for that river, there’s no changing it. It stays the course. You understand?”

Kerris thought she understood, though she didn’t feel clean or pure or strong. Certainly she didn’t feel like a force, but she did plan to stay the course. She couldn’t live with any other option.

“And, Kerris, you know I’m going home tomorrow.” Kristeene’s words began to slur as she fought off the lure of sleep.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s for good,” Kristeene whispered, making sure Kerris understood she what she meant.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I want you to make me a promise.” Kristeene still slurred, but carefully straightened out each syllable. “Promise that when I’m gone, you’ll do everything you can to make it right between my boys.”

“I think I’m the last one who could make it right.”

“And I think you’re theonlyone who can,” Kristeene said, her voice pretty firm for someone about to slip into morphine oblivion. “Promise me you’ll try.”

Kerris looked at this woman who’d given her more than a scholarship. She’d opened doors to another world, to a world where Kerris was positioned to do all of the things she wanted to do. She thought of all the orphans Kristeene Bennett had lived her whole life serving. And now she was just a mother asking for the best Kerris could do for her sons. One natural and one surrogate, but both of her heart.

“I promise.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Happy New Year!” Walsh chorused along with his mother, Unc, and Jo, all laughing and kissing each other.

They gathered in his mother’s suite, all wearing silly party hats and drinking champagne. She had defied the odds. Dr. Ravenscroft hadn’t been optimistic that she would make it to the new year, but Christmas had come and gone, and she was still here. Weak and asleep more often than not, but here.

“It’s late, Mom.” Walsh frowned at the lines of fatigue around his mother’s eyes and mouth. “We should all get to sleep.”

“The night’s still young.” Jo pulled off her hat and shook her hair free around her shoulders. “I’m going to a party.”

“Cam’s New Year’s party?” Uncle James sipped his champagne. “He mentioned it yesterday when he came by.”

Jo and Walsh locked eyes. If it had been hard for Walsh and Cam to avoid each other at the hospital, it was nearly impossible here at the house. It was a large house, but still. Walsh had gone for a run yesterday, needing an outlet for the massive stress he’d been under for the last few months and to run off some of Mrs. Quinton’s amazing home-cooked meals. He’d returned, toeing off his running shoes as soon as he entered the foyer. He’d sniffed the air, watching Jo come down the stairs.

“You couldn’t wait to get me out of the house, could you?” Walsh had asked.

“What…I don’t know what you mean.” Jo had avoided his eyes.

“At least you still have trouble lying to me. You don’t have to sneak around for Cam and Kerris to see Mom.”

“How’d you know they were here?”

“I smell her.”

“Yousmellher?” Jo had clearly not expected that response. “Do you hear yourself? Do you know how ridic—”

“Vanilla.” He bent down to grab his shoes and turn toward the stairs. “She wears a vanilla and brown sugar scent.”

“Walsh, you have to get her out of your system.” Jo caught his arm. He had one foot on the first step. “What about Sofie?”

“I should never have gone down that road with Sof. At least now she knows. I ended it a few weeks ago.”

“But if you can’t have Kerris, then Sofie—”

“I’ve lost Kerris and you offer me Sofie as a consolation prize? They’re practically a different species.”

“You haven’t lost Kerris. You never had her.”

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