Page 73 of Moonlit Kisses

She smiles at me, cupping my cheek. Her eyes are full of love and appreciation. “Do you mind sticking close by? I’m not sure how this is going to go.”

Turning, I kiss the palm of her hand. “Of course.” We grab the cups and head into the living room.

Beth and Joanna are standing in front of the same photo Martin saw in Molly’s apartment. As we place the cups on the coffee table, Joanna turns around with tears in her eyes. “You– … you’re my granddaughter.”

Molly stands up straight and sucks in a sharp breath, nodding slowly. I hate seeing her so unsure of herself. She’s done absolutely nothing wrong in this whole fucked up situation. I don’t care if the woman is elderly, if she fucking upsets my girl, I’m throwing her ass out on the street.

Joanna walks straight to Molly and engulfs her in a tight hug, sobbing loudly. Her whole body’s shaking. Molly’s hands slowly rise to comfort the woman, but she’s holding her body stiff. Beth and I watch as the older woman breaks down, her body shuddering with her sobs. I glance at Beth and she looks lost. I go in search of some tissues and drop the box on the coffee table.

Joanna pulls back, holding Molly’s upper arms. “You’re so beautiful. And tall!” She looks Molly up and down. “You’re so much like your mother.” Joanna looks around suddenly as if she’s looking for something. “Is Nicole back home, too?”

I look at Beth. “You haven’t told her?”

Beth’s bottom lip shakes. “I … I didn’t want to tell her in the grocery store. I was about to invite her to my home so I could tell her there. We lost touch and I haven’t seen Joanna since I saw Molly. I didn’t even think about it, to be honest. Now I feel terrible. It was sheer coincidence that I bumped into Joanna today.”

“Tell me what?” Joanna asks as her eyes skate between the three of us.

I can read the dread on Molly’s face, in her entire body. “Joanna, maybe you should sit down. I … I need to tell you something.”

Joanna nods and sits. “I can’t believe I’m sitting with my granddaughter. I never thought this would happen.” She pats Molly’s knee and leaves her hand resting in place. “Where’s Nicole? Has she forgiven me? Can I see her?”

Molly glances at me, then at Beth before settling her eyes on Joanna. “Uhm. Mom’s not here.” She swallows and I know this is killing her. I can’t let her do this on her own, so I take the cushion next to her and brush my hand in a soothing path up and down her delicate spine.

Molly takes Joanna’s hand from her knee, and holds it between both of hers. “Mom can’t come home. She … uh … was in a …” She turns and looks at me over her shoulder and I reach up to tuck a lock of her silky hair behind her ear and kiss her temple.

“You’ve got this, Dimples. I’m here.” I press a kiss to her temple.

She turns back to Joanna and draws in a deep breath. “She was out with my stepdad and my brother, Ethan.” Joanna’s eyes widen at learning she has another grandchild. “They were looking at the Christmas lights. It was something we did every year. Last Christmas I was volunteering, which meant I couldn’t go with them. On the way home, Jack, Mom’s husband, had a heart attack at the wheel. They … uh … got into an accident with a truck.”

Joanna raises her free hand to her mouth. Her wide eyes are locked on Molly as she breaks this devastating news to a stranger who happens to be her grandmother. “No!”

“No one is more sorry than I am to tell you she didn’t … she didn’t survive. None of them did.” Molly’s voice cracks and I pull her back into my arms. This woman who looks so delicate on the outside is made of fucking steel.

Joanna folds in on herself, a loud wail escaping her. Beth moves over, wrapping her arms around Joanna in comfort, while I comfort my girl. I wish I could make all of this pain stop.

When will it fucking stop for her?

How much more is she supposed to endure?

Her body shakes in my arms with her silent tears and my heart splinters into a million pieces that I can’t protect her from this pain.

The light in the room is fading with the sun. Our coffee sits cold on the coffee table and everyone’s hearts are broken. This is not how I saw our day going.

CHAPTER36

–molly–

God.I can’t breathe.

Everything feels like it’s closing in on me.

I have to tell this woman that her daughter will never come home. I absorb Max’s comforting touch as I recount the events that stole my family from me, sending Joanna’s world crashing to the ground and mine spiraling downward as well.

The sadness in the room is stifling and if it weren’t for Max holding me, I would do what I always do when everything gets too much. Curl up in my bed and hide under the covers. Try to block out the world with sleep and hope that when I wake, things are back to the way they should be. Mom would always let me have my time to wallow, then she would insist that I make a plan and move forward. It’s what she always did.

“M– Molly.” I turn toward Joanna. “I … I’m so sorry. Do you think you can find it in your heart to ever … forgive me?” Her eyes are swollen and red and I know that if I could see inside her chest, her heart would be in tiny pieces like mine. Her heartbreak is oozing from every pore. “I’ve missed Nicole and you every single day since she left us. I only hope you’ve had a good life.”

“My life’s been good. It’s been hard at times, but I’ve had a great life.” Max huffs behind me, mumbling something.

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