Page 53 of This Memory
Brystol lost the battle to hold her laughter in.
I huffed. “I’m going to get him back.”
My mother folded her arms over her chest. “Gavin Quinn, that was years ago. What you’re going to do is let it go.”
I frowned.
“Your mom is right. Look how stupid it was for us to hold our grudges.”
“That’s different. You didn’t have copies ofPride and Prejudiceshow up at random places for years!”
Brystol covered her mouth with her hand and looked away.
My mouth fell open. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
Her hand dropped and she wore an innocent expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Turning, I started for my bedroom.
“Where are you going?” Brystol called out. I could hear her and my mother following me to my room. I went to the closet, pulled down a box, and took the lid off. Both women peered into the box and started to laugh.
“That is a lot of books,” my mother stated.
“No kidding,” I bit back.
Brystol looked at me. “Why did you keep them all?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. It didn’t feel right throwing them away. I mean, it isPride and Prejudice.”
“I spent so much of my babysitting money on those books.”
My mother choked back a laugh, then both of them started laughing full on. I stared at them as they could hardly catch their breath.
“It’s not that funny.”
Mom nodded. “It kind of is, but I think it’s sweet you kept all the books, darling. I’m going to head back down to the kitchen before my tea gets too cold.”
I looked at Brystol sitting beside me, wiping tears away. “Oh, man. I must have needed that laugh.”
“I’m glad you find this all so funny.”
She stood. “Do you know how many times I saw you crack open the book and start reading it.”
“And here I was, coming out here to save you from my mother.”
“Save me? From what? Your mother is lovely.”
I smirked. “She hasn’t gotten around to asking you about the bun in the oven then.”
“No, she did. As soon as she saw me, she asked if you were the father of the baby I’m carrying. She heard it from Betty Lou.”
“For the love of all that is good, how does that woman hear everything?”
Brystol shrugged.
“What did you say?”
“I told her the truth, of course. That I’m a surrogate for Evelyn and Denny, and Evelyn let it slip in front of a group of mothers. She nodded, looked at the tea selection, anddecided she wanted a cup. As I was getting ready to make it, she started showing me pictures of you and James as babies.”
