Page 50 of 7+Us Makes Nine

When I was sure no one was at the house, I wasted no time in getting everything inside. I didn't want to do back outside until the boys got home from school and I had to receive them off the bus. I brought all of the bags in and set them at the foot of the steps and listened as Michaela threw her clothes into the hallway. They smashed against the wall and she fell apart in giggles. The only sound that was bringing me any sort of comfort.

The boys.

I had to call their school and make sure the boys didn’t do anything but get on the bus.

Then I needed to call Jace. He needed to know what was going on.

The boys were fine as school and I told them I needed them to make doubly-sure the boys got on the bus. No one else was to pick them up unless it was Jace. But when I hung up the phone I heard that precious little voice waft down the stairs.

“All done! Now what?” Michael asked.

Then, my phone started ringing in my hand again. Only this time, I recognized the number popping up on my phone.

Mom.

My mother was calling me.

Seventeen

Jace

“Yes, of course I know what’s going on with Hannah. She just called. Yes. I thought you said-. No. Don’t you pin this on me. This is not my fault. You and Dad have always been so damn pushy on what we needed to do with our lives. I fought, but Hannah buckled under your pressure. Don’t-... no. I’m not listening to this. Not one bit of it.”

“Catherine?” I asked as I dropped my bag at the door. “Kids?”

“Mom, stop it. I know you-”

I peeked around the corner and into the kitchen. I could hear Catherine’s whispers, and from what she was saying the conversation wasn’t good. She looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes and I was instantly on alert.

“Catherine, are you all right?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s him. I have to go. Don’t call me again unless you want to hear what I think,” she said.

I watched her hang up the phone before she slid it into her pocket.

“You’re home early,” she said.

“I got done early. Where’s Michaela?”

“Playing with her new toy in her bedroom.”

“What did she get?”

“I got her a new princess pop-up tent,” she said breathlessly.

“You got her?”

“Jace, don’t.”

My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. Catherine had never been stern with me before. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, then folded my arms over my chest.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t,” I said in that same stern voice.

She panned her gaze over to me and I saw something I’d never seen before in her eyes.

Fear.

---