Page 21 of Gideon's Gratitude

Of course they were. The group chat would’ve shared any bad news.

“I can see you’re getting our messages. Just not responding. What the hell, Arch?”

“Sometimes the chats become tedious.” I winced.Probably not the best thing to say to the leader of the pack.

“Too much parenting chat?” Her tone softened. “If you and Thea’d had children—”

“Do not start with me, Cherish. You so do not want to go there today.” For years I’d felt obliged to explain why I chose not to be a father. Now, with Thea gone, those jibes and sly comments had ceased. Well, my other siblings had given up. Cherish? Never. “Look, this is a bad time.”

“Arch, it’s always a bad time. Did you know Mom and Dad’s anniversary is coming up in two weeks? You’re going to be there, right?” Her impatience could not be overstated.

“Naturally. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Except you did last year because one of your clients had a meltdown.”

“An attempted suicide is not a meltdown.”

“You were her lawyer, not her doctor.”

Another argument we continued to have. “I didn’t bill her.” Annoyance bit through my tone.

An exasperated sigh. “I’m just saying that family needs to be a priority. You need to be around people who love you. You need support.”

Something in her tone caught my attention. “What do you know?”

Medical appointments were supposed to be confidential, but my doctor was also our brother Chuck’s physician. The woman didn’t seem likely to have let anything slip, but one couldn’t be too careful.

“I don’t know anything because you never share anything.” A long pause. “But something’s up. You’re never this quiet. This withdrawn.”

“Maybe I need quiet. Maybe I’m tired of all the chatter. All the drama.”

An indignant gasp. “There is no drama.”

“Oh please, Cherish, pull the other one. You and Cherry got into an argument last week.”

A huff. “Well, she was wrong.”

I rolled my eyes. “About helicopter parenting? Your kids are eight and eleven. Hers are three and one. Naturally she’s protective. You were the same when Rogan and Richelle were that age. You might’ve been out of line.”

Yet another huff. “Well, she was wrong too. Accusing me of neglect.”

Cherry had done no such thing, but explaining that to Cherish would only land me in a heap of hurt.

“I’m cold. I’m about to go inside, and I don’t want to be talking when I do.”

“Where are you?” Part plea, part demand.

“Nowhere near you. Signing off.” I cut the call. There’d be hell to pay later, but for now, I wanted peace. I’d never get it while speaking to my younger sister. The twins, Cherry and Cherish, were four years younger than me, but one would never know it by the way they bossed me around. Or tried to. Chad was two years younger than them. Then came Chelsea, followed by Charmaine.

Chuck was the second youngest of the family. Yet at twenty-four, he already had two children. He and Tally started early. Well, Lewis hadlikely been an accident, but they’d never admit it. A quick wedding and settling into wedded bliss before the arrival of their first.

Here Chuck was, fifteen years younger than me, but already with the family I’d always wanted. Finally, there was Channing. Over twenty years separated youngest from eldest. Our parents had been busy.

Chelsea and Channing were still single, but the rest of my pile of siblings were all married or in committed relationships. Most had children.

Keeping up was a battle, and I counted on Jean-Michel to keep track of birthdays and other milestones. In the next few days, a reminder of my parents’ anniversary would’ve been mentioned along with an offer to select an appropriate gift. The man was a genius with gifts. Better than Thea or I had ever been. And I would’ve shown up to my parents’ place, put on a good show, bowed out early, and headed home to be alone.

Now, though, I questioned the wisdom of those decisions. Maybe I should spend more time with my aging parents. They wouldn’t be around forever. Maybe I should dedicate more effort to getting to know my nieces and nephews.

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