Page 36 of Mic Drop

“I think their lyrics are slightly different, but you get my gist.” She smiles. “I believe Darren sent Bennett into your life to help you through my passing.”

Ihatewhen she talks like this. I swipe yet another tear off my cheek. “It’s a beautiful way of putting things, but stop talking about your death as inevitable.”

“Oh honey, everyone leaves this plane sooner or later. But think of it this way. I’m leaving you with Bennett, and your sister with her family. I think I did pretty good with my time here.”

When she puts things in this perspective, it does sound like she’s had a life well lived. Still. “I wish we had more time. Time so you could see me as a bride on my wedding day. Play with my kids. Cheer on Kara’s kids as they make their way into the world.”

“Don’t you worry. I’ll be watching all of this from above. Just because I won’t be here, don’t think I won’t be a heartbeat away.”

That does it. I break down and cry, hugging Ma close. She rubs my back as I feel some of her tears fall too. Then something amazing happens. It’s as if our talk gave me some catharsis, and for the very first time, Iacceptwhat the doctors told me.

I’m okay with her diagnosis.

Mostly.

We break apart. “Ma, I think I understand now. Let’s fill whatever time you have left with laughs and fun. Get together with Kara and her family to celebrate whatever milestones they have. Hopefully, Bennett will be able to get out here again soon, too.”

“Where is his tour taking him?”

“He’s in New Orleans now. I think they’re making their way across to California next.”

“The life of a rock star.”

“We’ll figure out a way to make it work.”

“Of that, Sweet Pea, I have no doubt.”

“I think we’ve covered all my questions,” Jeremy says. “Is there anything more you’d like to add?”

We’ve discussed my being called the Black Widow, the graffiti at the clinics, and Lissa’s claims against Bennett. I’m not ready to let the world know about our engagement. Nor do they have a right to find out about Ma’s situation. Something about Lissa’s latest foray into the media niggles in the back of my mind, though.

“I met Lissa, you know.”

Jeremy does a double take, his piercing hazel eyes burning into me. He flicks his head, causing his short blond hair to move across his face. Instead of clinging to muscles upon muscles like with Bennett, though, his clothes simply cover his rather thin body. Still, he’s an attractive guy. “Do tell.”

“It was here. In Aroostook. She told Bennett she’d been watching his success for years and was grateful for media reports putting him intown for longer than a day or two. Apparently, she was following him for years but never met up with him.”

“She’s a determined young woman.”

Or desperate. “Don’t you think if she really miscarried his baby, she would’ve found a way to reach him before his band became popular? I mean, wouldn’t there have been urgent messages when it happened?”If it happened at all.

He flips through the pages in his notebook. “In one interview, she said she did try to reach out through Darren, but was unsuccessful.”

I yank on my ponytail. “That doesn’t ring true to me. If someone contacts your, say, brother, asking for you to get in touch, what do you think would happen?”

“I presume he would text me or something.”

“Right. All we have is her side of the story claiming she got in touch with Darren. Bennett doesn’t remember Darren ever mentioning Lissa to him.”

“Really?”

“Nor do I.” He scribbles something in his notebook. I hope he’ll run down this line of questioning. However, Darren’s no longer here to refute Lissa’s story. We’re back to thehe said, she saidstalemate.

Jeremy snaps his notebook closed. “I want to be upfront with you, Jenna. I believe you. I don’t think this Lissa person is on the up and up. If only Bennett had some real corroboration, I could put the story out there. Without that, though, all I can do is print his denial.”

I complete his sentence. “And we all know how much a denial is worth.”

“Exactly.”

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