Page 68 of Save the Last Dance
“I’m not leaving.”Mack sat at his mother’s kitchen table across from his brother late that morning.
After visiting Vince’s grave, he’d gone back to the field manager’s quarters to sleep for a few hours after he got home, then knocked on his mother’s door shortly before noon, resolved to make his peace with his mother. Instead, he’d found Scott brooding over a plate of pancakes while Mom sat beside him with a big pile of pill bottles and a weeklong dispenser case.
She counted out pills quietly while Mack and Scott argued.
“Mack, you came down here to take some things off my plate and help me save my marriage.” He shoved the pancakes around an antique plate with stabs of his fork. “I’m admitting defeat and telling you—go home. Let me take over the festival. I need something to do now anyway so I don’t lose my effing mind.”
Their mother glared at him. No words needed.
“I saideffing,” Scott clarified.
“Thanks so much for repeating it at my table.” She adjusted her glasses higher on her nose and went back to counting out red capsules into the compartments of the case.
“You tell me, then,” Mack demanded, trying his best not to get in his brother’s face. “What exactly did you do to save your marriage? How have you made an effort with Bethany since I’ve been here?”
The scent of sweet maple syrup and the smell of lavender that permeated the old house was giving him a headache. Or maybe it was the lack of sleep. Or perhaps it was his fury at his stubborn brother who couldn’t see how stupid he was being to let Bethany walk away without a fight.
“I asked her to leave town with me when you told me to, back when you first got here.” Scott pushed his plate aside, the fork rattling against the china as it scraped along the tile tabletop.
“Did you book a hotel? Flash airline tickets? Pack a bag?” Mack ground his teeth, wondering what in the hell was wrong with his brother.
“Why would I do that without finding out if she wanted to go first? She didn’t seem interested. Then all the sudden she wanted us to leave last night on a moment’s notice. As if I could duck out on all my responsibilities here.” Scott leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Our daughter is in a bad way. We can’t just leave her.”
“Do you even know where Ally is right now?” Mack’s mother asked him.
The steadyclick, clickof pills halted.
He hesitated. “Sleeping upstairs.” Then, straightening, he looked up the staircase where the guest bedroom doorwas visible and obviously wide open. “Or else she went to sleep at home.”
Mack said nothing.
“Where is my daughter?” Scott’s fingers curled into a napkin and squeezed the ever-loving hell out of it.
“She’s at the hospital, sitting with a girl who needed a friend,” Mom explained gently. “Mack came on the scene of an accident last night. The girl was a teenage driver who was scared and asked for Ally to be with her. Mack came to pick her up after you went to bed. Ally has texted a few times since then and she should be home in about—” Mom checked the homemade clock on the wall “—fifteen minutes.”
“Nice of you all to let me know. I’ve gotten used to her not speaking to me.”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up, but she went back to pill counting.
Mack was only too glad for his turn at his brother. “Dude, if she doesn’t speak to you, and you’re not working to change that, then I don’t think she can be your excuse for not working things out with Bethany. But pick a relationship—any relationship—and start working on it, or you’re going to find yourself alone.”
“Do you really think you’re the one to pass out advice on being a husband and father since you’re neither?” Scott said with biting accuracy.
Mack bit back the urge to snap at Scott. Kicking his brother when he was already lower than down would accomplish nothing. “I’m sorry. Just offering my observations and input, for what it’s worth.”
Ever since the spring, Scott had been spending more and more time with their mother, and Mack had assumed it was because of Mom’s failing health. Or to help theirmother through her grief for their dad. But now, he’d seen for himself who was making pancakes and doling out advice, versus who couldn’t get out of his own way across the table from him.
And even as he thought as much, another possibility hit him like an oncoming bus.
What if Scott suffered some of the same issues their mom did? That Ally had already shown signs of? He filed that away to mention to…he didn’t know who. But he was pretty sure this wasn’t the right time or place for that particular observation.
Mack decided to ease off the tough talk, rethinking what kind of help Scott might need. His brother had been there for him through a lot, after all. The least he could do was offer the same.
“Look.” He stood, hearing a car in the driveway. “That must be Ally now. She had a rough night but she was really a stand-up friend.”
In fact, he had to admit that despite her personal problems and the emotional issues that had made a scary appearance last weekend, Ally had impressed him with her composure on their ride to the hospital. She hadn’t hesitated when he’d said Rachel needed Ally, even though, apparently, the girl hadn’t lived in town for long. Clearly, Ally’s priorities were solid.
Which had him wondering…who would have shown up at the hospital for Rachel if Scott had made the same decision about not having kids as Mack?
