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Ivy would need help with it when the time came. Clara should be able to help her navigate the complexities.

“Shit.” Manny rubbed his hand down his face. “I guess it is time for us to deal with this head-on. Let’s talk to the kids, but this time, can we forgo the whole dinner thing?”

She certainly understood why Manny wanted to avoid that type of get-together. The last one had certainly left a foul taste in his mouth. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too long before they could find their way back to family gatherings once everything was out in the open and they cleared the air.

“Sure. Um, don’t you think we should speak with your parents first?”

Manny explained how he didn’t feel like they had enough information to confront his parents. While she acknowledged some of his points, Ivy felt differently about the matter. It was her in-laws who should provide information. They owed him answers.

“Let’s start with the adoption and you can gauge from there if you want to discuss your twin. We don’t have to tackle the paternity today if you don’t want to.”

They spent the next several minutes discussing the pros and cons of confronting his parents. “You don’t have to bare your soul to them until you are ready. It is perfectly okay for you to ask questions. Maybe it is what you need to begin to properly process all of this.”

“I like that idea. I suppose you want to do this now?”

Ivy nodded. “Let’s pay them a surprise visit.”

In less than an hour, they were dressed and on the way to his parents’ house. Manny was quiet as he drove. She tried and failed to engage him in conversation. Eventually, she decided it was best to leave him with his thoughts. As they pulled up to the estate, they saw his parents returning home. Well, the timing worked out. Ivy felt Manny flinch beside her once he noticed them. He took a moment before he was ready to exit the car.

Grace and Larson Scott were waiting in the foyer to greet them. The tension was palpable. Manny stood rigid beside her.

“Emmanuel. Ivy. It is nice to see you both,” Grace greeted. Her awkwardness was apparent. She spoke so much more quickly than she normally did.

While Ivy greeted her as she normally would. Manny just responded with, “good afternoon.”

His cold and standoffish response had Grace dropping her hands to her side and her smile disappeared as despair clouded her features. Awkward didn’t begin to describe the interaction.

Despite Grace’s actions, Ivy felt sorry for her. The older woman wasn’t used to anything but a warm greeting from her son. Larson looked ashen, and his greeting was a brief nod in both of their directions. It was clear they understood the purpose of the visit.

“Well, you two come on in. I see we have a lot to discuss. Follow me to the sitting room.” Grace spoke quickly, her words running into each other. “I can have some tea brought in. Or maybe this conversation deserves something stronger.”

“Grace, dear, let’s just table that for now,” Larson told her gently.

It was the most subdued Ivy had ever heard, the larger-than-life Larson.

“Okay, I just thought the kids might be thirsty. Maybe I will just request some water.”

Ivy took mercy on Grace. “We are okay for now. Maybe we should just talk first.”

Manny and Ivy sat together on a love seat, while Larson and Grace took separate seats.

Grace broke the silence. “Well, I guess it is clear why you both are here.” Her sigh was sad as her gaze held her son’s.

“Before we get into the details. I just want to express my displeasure at the cowardice exhibited when my wife was sent to do what you should have done at any point in the last fifty years.”

Holy shit, Manny.Ivy thought. This wasn’t how she had expected this conversation to go. She turned widened shocked eyes to him. His gaze was now locked with his father. Both men had matching ticking jaws. A deep red blush coloured Larson’s face.

“You will not speak to your mother like that,” Larson admonished.

“My apologies. To be clear, my statement was directed at both of you.” Emmanuel’s tone was deceptively calm. Almost bored, but his anger poured off him in waves.

“Watch—” Grace cut off Larson just as he was starting to speak.

“You are absolutely right, Sweetheart.”

Manny’s attention shifted from his father to his mother.

“We should have told you about… the adoption years ago. It was wrong of me to put Ivy in that position. My apologies to both of you.” Her voice hitched on the last sentence, and she used her ring finger to swipe away a wayward tear.

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