Page 68 of Absinthe Minded

“It killed me knowing you were so close and hurting, but I couldn’t see you.”

“Why? What was stopping you?”

I couldn’t tell her, not without telling her everything. Today wasn’t the day for it, not after what had happened in the swamp. “I had no choice.”

“Let me guess. Your father forbade you? Why? Because he thought someone murdered my sister?” She stalked to her computer bag, pulled out a stack of folded up papers, and threw them on the bed. “There’s the police report, but it’s wrong, isn’t it?”

Fuck me. This is what this is about? I can’t get into this with her. Not now, not like this.It didn’t take a degree in female psychology to figure out that none of the shit she’d said up until that point had anything to do with her telling me to leave. That was all ancient history, but this business with her sister…was an entirely different animal. “Maggie…the police ruled—”

“I want the truth.” She balled her hands. “Was it a mob hit?”

My brain stuttered. I’d always known she’d figure it out, but I found myself ill-prepared to explain the situation. Instead, I dodged. “Why would you ask me that?”

“What did Chantal have to do with it?”

“Nothing.” Before I could explain, Maggie continued the barrage.

“Was my sister murdered?”

“I don’t know for sure what caused JoeandRebecca’s accident. None of us do. But you’re right. My father assigned a security detail on the kids and ordered us to stay away.”

She folded in on herself. “I want you out of this house.”

A stone wall rose between us. Even the temperature in the room grew a few degrees cooler. As much as I wanted to reach out to her, I couldn’t. If she reacted to the truth about my family like she had the accident, Maggie would have yet another target on her back.

Call it self-preservation or cowardice, but I needed a break. I took a breath and forced myself to speak in a professional tone. “I’m going to check on the kids. We’ll finish the conversation when we’ve both calmed down.”

“It won’t make a difference.” Maggie sighed.

I ignored her and walked into the living room.

“Uncle Gabe.” Chloe ran toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Hey, munchkin, when did you get home?” I knelt to put myself at eye level with her.

“A little bit ago. Why were you and Aunt Maggie arguing?” She set one hand on each of my cheeks and pressed her brow to mine until our noses touched.

I’d never felt like such as asshole. I’d blown it. I never should have let things get so heated. “Grown-ups do that sometimes.”

“Are you leaving us and going back to heaven?”

My heart shattered like tempered glass, only sharper. “Is that where you think I’ve been?”

She nodded. “I thought you went with Mommy and Daddy to heaven. You didn’t come back after the funeral, except at Christmas…like an angel or something.”

My throat began to close before I could swallow back my emotions. Maggie had been right about one thing. These kids had suffered enough loss for two lifetimes. I refused to add to their pain. “Here’s the thing. Once you go to heaven, you can’t come back. If I went there, I wouldn’t be able to visit you or your brothers. Your mom and dad are doing fine up there with the angels. I think I’ll hang around here and look after you guys for a while. Okay?”

“Okay.” Chloe smiled, showing teeth that looked too big for her mouth. “I like having you here. It’s almost like having my daddy back.”

I stood and she slid her hand into mine. Chloe was the spitting image of Rebecca, except her eyes. She had the same green eyes as me and my brothers. I’d always loved her, but in that moment, I wanted her to be mine.

Maggie sniffled from the hall.

I nodded in her direction and spoke to Chloe. “I need totalkto Aunt Maggie real quick. Can you go keep an eye on Ryan?”

Chloe gave me a knowing look and nodded. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn she had played me. The girl skipped through the kitchen and headed upstairs.

Judging from the look on her face, Maggie’s mood hadn’t improved. She folded her arms.

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