Page 19 of Starts With a Bang

“Keegan,” I said. “I’ll pass along your messages.”

“Molly Beth,” my dad cajoled. “Isn’t there something else you want to tell Dom?”

“It can wait.”

She sounded nervous, and my stomach cramped because there was only one topic that my mother danced around. Emerson Barker-Babb, the ex-husband who kept my last name after casting me out on my ass for my cousin Christian. Wasshe about to tell me Kerry wasn’t the only one who’d gotten engaged?

“Best to get it over with, Molly Beth.”

“It doesn’t seem like the right time,” Mom replied. “Dommy can call me back when he gets home. There’s no reason to spoil his afternoon.”

“Too late,” I replied drolly. “I’ll just obsess over whatever it is you’re afraid to tell me.” I could check Emerson’s and Christian’s social media accounts, but I’d have to unblock them first. “Nothing you say will upset me, Mom. None of what happened was your fault.”

Technically, it wasn’t Aunt Janet’s or Uncle John’s fault either, unless you held them accountable for raising a backstabbing son. I hadn’t passed that judgment on to them, but I’d blocked their asses, too, when they acted like I should just forgive and forget. My mother hadn’t taken kindly to that and hadn’t spoken to her sister in two years as far as I knew. We were a family ripped asunder. But my mom was hemming and hawing about something, so it had to be huge.

“Band-Aid, Molly Beth,” Dad said supportively. “Rip it off.”

Mom took a deep breath, then spewed words out like a machine gun, each one striking me in the heart. I was right that she’d wanted to tell me something about Emerson and Christian, but it was so much worse than an engagement announcement. I felt bloodier and more banged up than I had in a long time when she finished.

“Slow down, love,” Dad said. “Take some breaths. You’re going to pass out.”

“She’sgoing to pass out?” I asked. “I can’t believe I’m still upright.”

Mom’s shaky breath came through the connection, and I could tell she was on the verge of tears. “It’s a big ask, honey, and I’m sorry.”

“Staying in a chateau in Vail with two people I never want to see again,” I said. “No way. I’m not going to just turn a cheek and act like nothing happened. No. And nothing you can say will change my mind. Have a wonderful time. I hope you patch things up with Aunt Janet.” And I mostly meant it.

“This isn’t about you, your idiot cousin, or your faithless ex-husband,” Dad said. “This isn’t about Molly Beth or Janet Sue. Mom is asking you to temporarily set aside your justifiable anger and hurt for your grandmother’s sake.”

“This is likely her last Christmas.” Mom’s words were so thick she nearly choked on them.

Fuck. It turned out there was something she could say that would change my mind. I wasn’t still in love with Emerson, though Christian’s betrayal was as sharp as ever. My cousin and I had been closer than brothers growing up. Let’s just say I bounced back from Emerson’s treachery much faster than Christian’s.

“No way. Nana’s going to outlive us all,” I insisted.

Stifled sniffles came from her end, followed by soft, comforting words from my dad.

Fuck!“Did Grandma get a grim diagnosis or something?” I’d talked to her on the phone last week, and she’d sounded upbeat and healthy. She hadn’t as much as hinted at feeling ill. Nana had asked about my cases, and I might’ve embellished a few facts to entertain her.

Mom sniffed again before answering. “No. Nothing like that,” she said. “Janet has received several calls from the nursing home concerning your grandmother that prompted her to reach out to me. She’s convinced this is Nana’s last Christmas. She and John have extended an olive branch by renting a fancy chateau we can all stay in. I’ve seen the photos, and it’s big enough to accommodate our families. We’d all have our own suites for lotsof privacy to recharge our batteries. I know it’s a lot to ask, Dom.”

A figurative fist tightened around my heart. Nana’s last Christmas? “Did you talk to the nursing staff to confirm Janet’s concerns?”

“Yes, and Janet wasn’t exaggerating,” Mom said. “They expressed the same worries to me.”

What could’ve changed in a week? “Have you talked to Nana?”

Mom sighed. “I tried. She denied and dismissed some parts and got combative about others. She complained about snitches and busybodies before hanging up on me.”

“But she sounded like her usual self when I talked to her last week.”

“The staff warned me those types of behaviors could indicate early stages of dementia, so Janet and I have agreed that Nana needs specialized testing in the new year.”

Tears filled my eyes, and I blinked to clear my vision. That’s when I noticed Sven standing in the open doorway, backlit by the lights inside the house and looking more beautiful than any person should. I knew I had to get moving when he stepped onto the porch and crossed his arms over his chest. Sven loved belly-baring shirts, and today’s sweater was a cable knit that stopped just above his navel.

“Let me think about this, and I’ll call you back later tonight,” I said. “I don’t want to disappoint Nana or you, but two weeks with the Carmichaels and Emerson might be a hill too far.”

“Of course you can call us back later,” Mom said.

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