Page 61 of Imogen

“No, you don’t. I get it. It never entered your mind because it had no reason to. I was your daughter. Where I came from didn’t factor in because I was where I belonged.”

“How did I get so lucky?” she gushes, pulling me into her arms. “I love you so much. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Imogen.”

“I love you too,” I tell her, hugging her back just as tight.

She pulls back, brushing my hair away from my face. “Is there anything else you want to ask me?”

“Just one more thing, but you’ll probably think it’s stupid,” I admit.

“Never,” she promises.

I clear my throat, glancing down at our joined hands. “Who named me?”

She squeezes my hands gently. “I did. Imogen was my mother’s—your grandmother’s—middle name. It belonged to her mother before her.”

“Thank God. I don’t know how I would have felt if she had named me,” I explain.

“Are you okay?” Dad asks. “I know this is a lot to absorb.”

“Still processing.”

Mum rubs her thumb against my hand. “It’s a lot to process so you can take all the time you need.”

I let out a breath and close my eyes. “I yelled at Hayden,” I announce.

Dad’s cough turns into a wheeze. “She doesn’t hurt family, right?”

“She’ll understand. She’s been known to blow a fuse a few times.”

“A few?” Dad chuckles. “She should have worked in my field or politics.”

“Not helping right now,” I grumble.

Mum clucks her tongue at Dad before turning to me. “She will forgive you, sweetheart. Whatever was said, it can’t be half as bad as what her brothers say.”

“True,” I muse.

“One other thing I wanted to talk to you about,” Dad begins. “With you being out of work, I was wondering if you would consider coming to work for me.”

“Dad…” I stop, wondering how I can let him down gently.

“It doesn’t need to be permanent. Just until you find a new job. We’re worried about you falling behind on bills,” Dad states.

“And we know how much you hate not working,” Mum adds.

“We need the extra help. We have the Christmas toy bank starting soon too,” he explains.

“Okay, okay. But remember, I’m going away with the Carters in January.”

Mum shifts her attention to me. “Are you all still going?”

“Yeah. Lily and Jaxson aren’t coming because of the pregnancy. Aiden and Bailey are busy and need to save for the stag and hen party/ honeymoon.”

“I still think it’s weird they are doing that,” Dad comments.

“They can only get a vet to fill in during those few weeks. Faith was already set against doing it because they haven’t lived there long. It makes sense to me.”

“I wish we could make it,” Mum declares.

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