Page 125 of Hound Dog
She shrugged and pinched his nose. “I knew everyone was going to be together today. It felt only right to deliver the news in person like this. Not one by one on the phone.”
We all exchanged glances. It was the exact thought we’d had about Dad.
Do it together. In person.
Except we had chickened out for a month.
“What?” Mom asked. “Your faces, my gosh. No one would ever be able to tell I was in remission from the looks of it right now.”
Apparently, the Evans siblings shouldneverplay poker. Our faces sucked at hiding our emotions, even when we were trying.
When none of us spoke, Mom hugged us all harder, squeezing me into her side. “Hey,” she said. “Whatever it is, the looks on your faces are making me think the worst. Come on. Out with it.”
My gaze connected with Neil first and he gave me a confirmation nod. Even though we hadn’t discussed exactly who would break the news, I was the one who’d called Dad. I was the one who had actually spoken to our new sister. I was the one who confronted everyone at the bakery.
Like it or not, I was leading this charge.
I cleared my throat and swept my finger along the outer edge of my water glass. Then, I dropped my hands to my lap, clenching them together. “Okay, here it goes. For the last few years, I’ve been sort of curious about Dad. I kind of remember him from when I was a kid, but not well. I managed to get his phone number, but I was too chicken to call him for years. Until Haylee—”
My voice broke, and I glanced down at my hands in my lap. Fingers threaded. White knuckles. Bouncing knee.
I shook my head. “Why isn’t important. I finally called him and… I wish we didn’t have to be the ones to tell you this, but Dad’s getting married. And Beefcakes is making his wedding cake.”
I paused and glanced up from my knotted hands.
“Is that what this is all about?” Mom asked. “Your dad’s been married a lot since leaving us.”
“You knew?” Liam asked.
She nodded. “I was crushed the first time, of course. But since then…” she trailed off, shrugging, before she added, “I could have given you Dad’s number, Finn. You should never feel uncomfortable wanting to know who your dad is.”
“Youhave Dad’s number?” Neil asked, incredulous.
“Of course,” she laughed and reached across us to the center of the table to start serving the salad. “I don’tuseit often. Or ever. But a few years ago, he called me to apologize for leaving. I told him he really needed to call each of you and apologize, too, but judging from the looks on all your faces, I’m guessing he never did.”
“No,” Neil said, a bitter crack to his voice. “He didn’t.”
“Why wouldn’t he want to call us?” Addy asked, her voice quivering. “To know us?” I could count on one hand the times I’d seen Addy cry.
Moisture filled Mom’s eyes and I suddenly hated Dad even more. I hated him for doing this to us. I hated him for leaving. For hurting not only me and my siblings, but also my mom. And I hated that we were letting him ruin a day that should be a celebration of Mom’s life.
“I don’t know, hun. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s ashamed of how he left.”
I took a deep breath. “Mom, there’s more. Dad had another kid. A daughter.”
Her lips pursed, and she inhaled sharply. “He has a daughter?”
I nodded as Addy said, “Her name is Hope.”
The silence was thick. Tense. And Mom sat there in silence staring at her untouched mesclun greens. Finally, she looked up, tears spilling over her cheeks.
A smile spread slowly across her face as she looked at Addy. “You always wanted a sister.”
She scanned the table, meeting each of our eyes slowly, getting to me last. “Mom?” I asked. “Are you okay?”
“I’m in remission. I couldn’t be better. Which only leaves one last question… when are we going to invite Hope to come meet her siblings?”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
