Page 125 of The Husband Hour
“I love the planets. I’m going to be an astronaut,” he said.
She took a deep breath, then asked, “Have you ever gone to the planetarium at the Franklin Institute?”
He shook his head no.
“I’ll take you,” she said.
“Cool,” he said. Then: “Aunt Lauren?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you crying?”
Chapter Fifty-Two
There was something calming, almost hypnotic, about watching the rings of dough bubble and bob in the fryer. And it smelled heavenly.
Beth struggled to narrow down the doughnut options for Nora’s party. Nora had asked for three varieties, and Beth was torn between traditional with a twist—German chocolate, apple-pie, and a vanilla glazed—or summer experimental, like salty margarita, spicy chai, or s’mores.
“Have you heard any news on the sublease?” Howard asked, startling her.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that. And no, I haven’t. Maybe you can call to follow up this week?”
He nodded. “I’ll take care of it. By the way, I was just in Lauren’s room. What’s with all the boxes? Is she moving out?”
“Those boxes are from the attic. She’s putting them in storage.”
“Great. Are you finished with the attic?”
“No. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
Howard ran his hand through his hair, his ultimate expression of impatience.
“That’s the game plan? Living here for the rest of our lives with our adult daughter, raising her son?”
“Would that be the worst thing in the world?”
Howard sighed. “And what, Beth? You’re going to bake doughnuts for a living?”
“Why not?”
“And I should just…what?”
“I don’t know, Howard. And, frankly, that’s not my concern. I gave up doing what I loved professionally to help you with the store for thirty years. Now it’s my turn.”
Lauren piled the boxes by the front door for the storage company to pick up later in the afternoon. She headed to the kitchen for coffee but hearing her parents in a heated conversation, she turned around.
She sat on her bed and her phone pinged with a text. Matt—again.
He’d started texting days ago, telling her that he was thinking of her, that he was sorry she was upset but that he believed he was doing the right thing. I hope someday you can forgive me.
Lauren had deleted them all. She wasn’t the one whose forgiveness he would have to reckon with someday. Rory had a son who was about to have his life changed forever. She could only hope the press showed some mercy. If not, Stephanie would have to prepare herself. At the very least, she had to find a way to tell Ethan the truth before the media learned it.
She opened the top drawer of her nightstand, where a shallow glass bowl held her heart necklace, wedding band, engagement ring, and Rory’s dog tags. Storage wasn’t an option for these things, but neither was keeping them. Well, maybe the engagement ring. She couldn’t stand to part with it. It was too special. God, it was all so confusing. So much!
“Lauren?” Stephanie knocked on the door.
She closed the drawer. Maybe the storage people had shown up early.
