Page 49 of The Wish List
“I bet it’s amazing,” Trinity offered.
Beth nodded in apparent agreement. “You were a great writer back in high school. I know college didn’t work out, but that doesn’t change your natural talent.”
Freya looked between her two sisters, afraid to let their faith in her bolster her confidence. The more confident she felt now, the more devastated she’d be if it turned out she was terrible at putting a story together.
“You won’t know whether it’s good or not,” Trinity pointed out, none too helpfully, “until you let somebody read it. Remember what Dad used to say about hiding your light under a bushel?”
“I saw him,” Freya blurted, more to distract them than because she’d been planning to share that tidbit.
The tactic worked. “Where?” Beth demanded in a hushed tone.
“I was in Vegas for an event last year, and he’s still working as a magician. Someone handed me a random flyer advertising his show. I tracked him down at the casino where he works a couple blocks off the strip. It’s a complete dump, which might explain why he never sent money to Mom.”
“I think it was all too much for him,” Beth said quietly. “A flighty, boisterous wife and three girls who always wanted attention. Maybe if we...”
“No.” Trinity held up a hand to interrupt Beth. “We’re not going to do this. We are not going to take the blame for the choices he made. Not even a little bit. The three of us were kids. We had nothing to do with it. They chose to have us. They chose to marry each other.”
She cradled her stomach. “My pregnancy might have been a surprise, but one thing I know for sure is that this baby boy, unexpected as he was, will be loved and cherished. I will never make him feel less. I will never make him feel like he is a burden by being born. I’m glad Mom is the way she is. Not the stroke or the potential long-term deficits. But I hope whatever happened in her brain lasts, even if that means she needs somebody to care for her for the rest of her life. I’ll care for a mom who makes me feel loved.”
Freya saw Beth brushing a hand across her cheeks as she looked away. Freya’s eyes stung with unshed tears. “We are going to love your baby, too,” she told Trinity.
“I got accepted into the nurse practitioner program at Vanderbilt.” Beth made the announcement before either of them could say anything else. “I applied after the divorce because I needed something for myself. I didn’t consider Mom in my decision. It felt as though she’d barely notice if I left town. I’m a shell of a person and haven’t taken care of her the way I should have. Maybe if—”
Freya squeezed her sister’s hand. “If we’re not feeling guilty about Dad, we are not feeling guilty about Mom. You did way too much for far too long, Beth. If moving to Nashville makes you happy, then that’s what you should do.”
Trinity looked somewhat alarmed but nodded. “I’ll take care of Mom,” she offered.
“You will?” Freya could hear the disbelief in Beth’s voice and felt it herself, but she also understood that the sisters had misjudged each other for years. The shared childhood trauma had colored their adult relationships to the point they barely had them.
“Or we can hire somebody to help Trinity out when she needs it,” Freya suggested.
“I don’t know if insurance will pay for that,” Beth said. “She’ll get some money if she sells the house, but even that...who knows. I haven’t sent in my final tuition payment. I could put it off for a semester or two. It might not even make a difference in the kind of work I do. I’m already a nurse. I don’t need—”
Freya shook her head. “We’ll figure this out.” She was the last person who should be making that pledge when her life was at loose ends. But she knew that Beth needed reassurance and the opportunity to pursue her dreams however that looked.
She felt Trinity waiting for Beth to reiterate to them both that she only trusted herself to be responsible for their mom. Instead, their older sister sniffed and let out a small sob before yanking her hand away from Freya’s to cover her mouth.
“I’m not going to cry,” Beth whispered. “But thank you. Knowing you two are here makes a huge difference.”
“When can we read your story?” Trinity asked as she touched the manuscript Freya had placed on the desk.
“More importantly, when are you going to give it to an editor or an agent?” Beth demanded. “Greer is a perfect place to start.”
“He represents big authors,” Freya muttered.
“You’re a big deal,” Beth replied.
Freya laughed “I appreciate that, but not Greer. Anyone but Greer.”
Beth lifted a brow. “I know you like him.”
Freya felt panic rush through her but kept her features neutral. “Do you want to talk about Declan Murphy?”
“I need to get to work,” Beth answered. “I picked up an extra weekend shift.”
Trinity laughed. “You two. Some things never change.”
Freya smiled. Some things did change, which made the struggle that came before worth it.
