Page 52 of Defending Our Ever After

“And you,” Aiden continues retelling the events of that day, as I’m giggling, he catches on that it’ll be the easiest way to calm Max down. “Smiling, sweet as can be at Russ: ‘how many people did you kill to protect Julia?’. After he answers, Shelby just reached for another helping of the potatoes.”

“Hey, can I get that hot shower you mentioned?” Javier’s question cuts off my response.

I’d forgotten about him and Banks, but they’re standing in the corner of the kitchen, shoveling food into their mouths. Not that I can blame them.

Wiping away the tears that had come with laughing so hard, I look around to see Rachel sitting near Sara’s crib close to the fireplace and I ask her to show Javier and Banks the set-up they’re longing for. Her eyes are wide, but she quickly stands and signals for them to follow her out of the room.

“Elsbeth,” my dad says in a very kind voice. “Come over here with me for a moment.”

She had just started wrapping the cuff around my arm when he spoke, but her hand falls heavily on my upper arm and I know that she instinctively understands he is about to relay the news no parent should ever hear.

“Max?” Her voice comes out so high pitched, it’s almost unrecognizable. “Max, remember when you and Jace got sprayed by the skunk? You took the blame, but I knew it was Jace that provoked it. You were always just the worst liar. Did you know the four of us laughed so hard about how you tried to repeat the story Jace must have coached you on?”

He shakes his head, crossing the room to where she’s standing beside me.

“I’m sorry, Elsbeth. I’m so fucking sorry.” He drops to his knees before her, wrapping his arms around her waist. His words and actions confirming what Elsbeth somehow sensed, she lightly taps his shoulders, gradually squeezing them to the point that I can see the color drain from her digits.

“He did that to Eddie?” she asks after a moment, taking a deep breath that sends a shudder through her small frame. None of us answer, knowing that doesn’t matter right now.

Julia steps forward at that moment, regardless of the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I tried to stop him, Grandma. I swear I did,” she sobs, with the retelling. “I had drawn my bow on him and couldn’t get him to understand…”

“Stop. Julia, please,” Elsbeth says, her voice becoming frantic as she keeps her gaze on my brother’s upturned face, simply unable to hold her tears in any longer. “Not now. Not now. Max? Where is he, Max?”

“He’s in your barn, Ms. Elsbeth. We’ll find a way to bury him properly.” My brother answers immediately, knowing what she needs to hear.

“It’s winter. Cremation would be best, but then there’s the worry that the smoke will signal our location to those bastards in town,” Elsbeth’s voice is a hollow shell compared to her normal tone and I don’t think she’s aware of the tears streaming down her face. “Damn it, Jace. You foolish boy!”

I stand, pulling her into my arms when she starts wailing. Holding her tight, I don’t know what to do, but I want her understand that I’m here for her and always will be. Thankfully, Dylan comes back into the room and slides between us as Max stands up, awkwardly putting his hand on Elsbeth’s back.

“Grandma, I shot his wrist. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” he confesses to her, and I witness the extraordinary strength of a woman who just lost her only child, shifting gears to comfort her grandchild.

I spent years blaming myself for Jace being unhappy with his life. And now, surrounded by his mother’s grief, my son’s guilt, as well as Julia’s, who Russ is holding tight; I just wish he was alive so I could beat the shit out him.

He lived his life on his own terms.

Never caring about what he left in his wake.

God, Max takes a step back from us, with a tear streaming down his cheek, and I’m pretty fucking certain this was not the way he wanted his homecoming to go down.

“I love you,” I tell my big brother, reaching one hand over to grip his shoulder. “I love you and want you to get your ass into the shower. Then we’ll all sit down to a nice dinner.”

No one moves or says anything.

“MOVE!”

My voice startles everyone, until he takes a step back to salute me before turning to follow my orders.

“Elsbeth,” I start, quickly pausing as I try to figure out what to say. “The best parts of your son are in your grandchildren. I love you. They love you. This sucks. This, I never…”

Running out of steam, it’s Aiden’s hand on my back that guides me to the fireside sofa near Sara’s crib and I collapse onto the inviting, well-worn cushions; watching as Dad leads Elsbeth back to his office.

“Are you alright?” Aiden asks me, shifting when Dylan comes over to sit beside me.

“Yeah, I just feel kind of numb right now,” I answer, wrapping an arm around my son. “How are you doing, kiddo?”

“I don’t know,” Dylan shrugs in response. “We do need to talk about that Tyton guy. Julia and I had really only heard about him from Dad, and he made him sound like a decent guy, but that obviously isn’t true. Not if things ended this way.”

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