Page 12 of Risks

“Mom?” I touch her hand on her lap. “Whyare you crying?”

She turns to me at last, gaze drenchedwith sadness and regret.

Lips parting, shaky breaths seepout. “Toya…” She hitches, steadies herself, then grates, “My father’s dead.”

Of all the things she could havetold me, I never expected to hear that.

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My grandfather’s death shocks me tothe core. While I had no idea Mom reached out to the man, I genuinely feel sad forher.

Curiosity has me rattling offquestions without a pause. “How did he die? Where was he? Did you see himbefore he passed?”

Mom sniffles and wipes her face withthe palm of her hand. “I started looking for him back in…September.” Her voicecracks.

Daniel squeezes her hand, and histouch seems to have given her the strength to go on. “I wanted to know what hewas doing. If he still lived in New York.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, I gothis number after a lot of digging. He chased me off the phone; said the samething he told me years ago. That he wanted nothing to do with me.” She startsto cry again.

I move to hug her, but Mom leansinto Daniel instead.

Her sobs consume the otherwise quietliving room until Daniel brings her upstairs.

Alison, Varen, and I wander into thekitchen, sitting at the marble waterfall island.

“How do you feel, babe?” Varen asks,touching my back.

I raise my shoulders in anoverstated shrug. “Not sure. My mom didn’t tell me she was looking for herfather. I’m sorry he passed, but I’m pissed he said that to her before ithappened.”

“Me too,” Alison chimes in,sputtering a harsh breath. “Like what the hell? Why couldn’t he have... Ugh.”She combs her fingers through her blonde strands, trimmed to her shoulders andno longer dangling at her back. She looks more petite than the last time I sawher.

“Probably because he was ashamed.”Daniel’s voice startles us.

I turn on the stool as he walksover. “Ashamed about what?”

He clears his throat, seemingawkward. “I’m sorry, Toya. Your grandfather had an affair with yourgrandmother. He was already married with a son.”

“What?” My stomach coils withdisgust. Why the hell would my grandmother involve herself with a married man?

Sensing my distress, Varen holds myhand and gently traces my knuckles with his thumb.

He and Alison stay quiet, watchingme.

I free the sudden rigidity in mythroat to speak again. “His wife and son, do they know about my mom?”

Daniel confirms with a nod. “Theyrefuse to acknowledge Lisa. They learned about her when your mom andgrandmother visited him years ago.”

“Mom told you that?” I mutter. “Shenever talks to me about it.”

His shoulders droop, and a frownforms. “Lisa feels embarrassed. She didn’t want you to be upset with yourgrandmother.” I am upset and, at the same time, jealous that my mom has sharedso much with Daniel. I’m still learning about her to this day.

I scoff under my breath and ask, “Isshe asleep?”

“Yeah. We should let her rest.”

Silence settles among us.

“Um, are you hungry, Toya?” Alison asks,her voice soft and laced with sympathy. “You had a long flight, and we weresupposed to have dinner.”

“It’s fine,” I reply with a weaksmile. “Lost my appetite.”

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