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You deserve the world, Palmer, but if you’re not careful, fear and stubbornness can cause you to live a lonely life.
You’ve been a fighter your entire life. You’ve had to be. I’m so proud of the woman you became. Always fight for what you want.
I love you, and I’ll miss you.
Please come home. You’ve been gone way too long, and your mom misses you.
Love always,
Great-Grandma Dori
I fold the letter back up, her words echoing Theresa’s. I need to fight for Hudson. For our future. For our daughter. Great-Grandma Dori’s right—I never used to be afraid to take what I want.
My back door opens, and I walk over to greet Adley with tears in my eyes, but it’s not Harper or Adley. It’s my parents. What the hell?
“Palmer,” my mom says with that tone implies she’s not happy with me. I realize that she’s cut her hair shorter, and it suits her.
My dad holds a tray with three coffees and a bag from Brewed Awakenings.
What are you guys doing here? I have my cochlear implants in but it’s habit to sign when its just my parents and me, a lifetime of conditioning I suppose.
Neither of them answer me, taking a seat at my table. My dad hands out the coffees as my mom pats the spot across from her. Sit down, Palmer.
Did someone die?
Jesus, no. Sit down. My mom pats the spot again and sits back in her chair.
I hesitantly go over and sit across from them.
I received some information this morning.
“Oh?” I look at my dad, but he’s not giving away anything.
There’s something you don’t know, Mom signs. No one knows except your father. And the secret needs to stay with you.
I’m baffled. This is not usually how my parents are. They’re usually straightforward. Another secret. I roll my eyes.
“Palmer, let it go.” My dad uses his stern voice, as if I’m sixteen and giving my mom attitude.
“I write Buzz Wheel,” she says out loud.
My mouth falls open, and I gasp. I’m sorry, what? You’re the one who spreads the gossip about all of us?
She nods. And I’m not going to apologize for it. I haven’t always written it. It was passed on to me when I was younger. But that’s not the point. The point is that someone wrote in that you and Hudson have been having a secret relationship.
I shift in my seat.
Listen, we know you harbor some anger over what you found out at fourteen, but we want to know why the two of you would sneak around and not just be open about it. You have a daughter together, my dad signs.
You don’t have to worry about it, we’re going to come out. As long as he accepts my apology.
Mom looks at Dad and they share an expression like, “Of course she fucked it up.”
What happened? my mom signs.
I look at the table. “He might have proposed.”
“Which explains the other piece of information I received.”
