Page 103 of Hearts Aweigh
They stopped at the entryway. Daisy kept her voice low. “I would have never told you, but … but someone is blackmailing me.”
Would the unwelcome revelations never end?
“Blackmail?” he scoffed. “On a cruise ship?”
“I don’t know how the person found out, but they threatened to reveal everything to my son if I didn’t pay them in cash. I decided to disempower the wretch and confess. First, to the Lord. Then to you.” She stood with posture erect, years of Southern etiquette lending her dignity even amid the ugly circumstances. “God’s forgiven me. I hope you can too.”
Forgive her?
He wanted to laugh. Hadn’t he suffered enough as a child? The best part of reaching adulthood was winning the right to distance himself from his unfeeling parents. His marriage to Priscilla had been the last time he’d allowed his father to exert any pressure on him. After the separation, Spencer had found refuge in the heavenly Father’s unconditional love, which came without any stipulations. Learning to show that same love was a challenge, but wasn’t forgiveness something God asked his children to give freely?
Spencer doubted he was capable. He opened the door. “We’ll discuss this later.”
Daisy cleared her throat. “I realize this is both painful and unexpected news. I’ll give you time to process.” She hesitated. “I don’t deserve it, but I hope you can forgive me for this and all the other times I failed as a mother.”
She exited so quickly that the front door caught on one of the rugs, but she didn’t notice. It remained ajar, and Spencer stared at the spot she’d vacated. A tsunami rose inside him. Waves of hurt, disappointment, and fury crashed through his brain. Stomping away from the open door, he looked around for an object close enough to throw.
The sight of hot pink toenails peeking out from under the dining room curtains stopped him cold.
Abby hid behind the curtains, her hands pressed to her cheeks. She’d eavesdropped on the most embarrassing conversation a mother and son could have. It was an accident, but Spencer wouldnotbe happy.
Lord, I’m at a loss. How do I get out of here without him seeing me? Or should I admit I heard everything?
Spencer’s footsteps sounded as he stalked to the window. She froze, lips pressed together, breaths shallow.
Hide or confess? Which one?
She wasn’t the secretive sort. Before she could chicken out, she pushed the curtains aside. Her flustered hands tangled in the fabric as she made herself known.
“I-I’m so sorry.” She stepped out into the room. “I promise I wasn’t listening on purpose. We were playing hide-and-seek.” She allowed her gaze to settle on Spencer. He wasn’t evenlooking at her as he stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I should’ve made my presence known, but I didn’t expect you to talk about … I mean … I …”
She ran out of words.
Spencer remained where he was, emotion radiating like a nuclear core.
Abby backed away. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll check on Maddie.” She bolted upstairs and poked her head in the bedroom door. “Maddie, where are you?”
“I’m going potty,” Maddie’s voice answered from the side bathroom. “Almost done.”
Oh, how Abby wished she’d taken a bathroom break and missed the drama downstairs. If there was a machine to erase the last ten minutes from her memory, she’d buy it.
Abby clasped her fingers together and pressed them to her forehead.God, please. Help Spencer. Please. His heart must have a hole the size of a dump truck.
She was tempted to use Maddie as an excuse to stay out of sight, but there were things left to be said.
“Sweetie,” she called, “can you stay in your room when you finish?”
She gave a disappointed whimper. “For how long?”
“Just a few minutes. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Abby made her way to the ground floor, where Spencer stood in the exact same spot. The whir of the air conditioner was the lone noise. Approaching quietly, she skirted the table and stood to his left. His hands were locked behind him, his face an unreadable mask.
Abby witnessed the aftermath of this familial train wreck with shamed reluctance. “I imagine you don’t want to talk aboutthis, but please let me say one thing. Be assured I will never discuss what I overheard with anyone.” She licked her lips. “I-I’ll go now.”
She turned away.
