Danny: Hey, I’m planning on going to see Mom tonight too. So I’ll just pick you up.
I stared at the text and tried not to let my annoyance get the better of me.
I’d spoken with Eldridge—Danny’s father—a few days ago and set up a time to come and visit Diane on Friday afternoon. I didn’t realize I’d be sharing visitation with my ex.
Guilt followed swiftly on the heels of that thought. Diane only had so much time left. She should be spending as much of it as possible with her loved ones, Danny included. I was the interloper here.
Me: I’d prefer to drive myself.
Danny: It’s no big deal. I’ll see you at 4:30.
I sighed. He knew what time I liked to leave school. It would be tight getting home and changed before he picked me up, especially because it was the weekend and I was fully planning on stealing a rabbit again.
I’d just plan on leaving a few minutes early. I knew how impatient Danny could be, and I didn’t want to put him in a bad mood before seeing his mother.
At 3:45, April texted to let me know Morris had left for the day. I gathered my things and hustled down the hallway with the pet carrier I’d bought. I was in and out and home by 4:06 p.m. with Oreo in tow.
She had a brand-new pen and bunny house in the primary bedroom. It seemed like a pretty good use of the space since I wasn’t using it. Once she was settled with fresh food and water, I hurried to change clothes and grab the applesauce cake I’d made for Diane. It was her favorite, and Eldridge had mentioned she’d been reluctant to eat lately.
I managed to slip out the front door just as Danny was pulling into the driveway. The house was a mess, and I didn’t want himin there, judging me and reminding me what a poor housekeeper I was.
The short car ride was fraught with awkwardness in between stretches of silence. How did you make small talk with someone you’d been married to for thirteen years?
My eyes caught on his hands gripping the steering wheel and the bare ring finger there. I made myself look out the window for the rest of the drive.
I was relieved when we arrived at the small brick ranch-style home that Danny had grown up in.
That relief was short-lived.
Eldridge took the cake from my hands and ushered me inside to the kitchen. It was dim and quiet, like the house was already in mourning.
Danny’s parents were older than mine, in their late sixties. They’d started their family with two daughters and were almost forty by the time Danny came along.
It felt strange to be back. I’d attended so many holidays here and cooked countless dinners, been squeezed around an oval dining table with my extended family. But now I was caught somewhere between the past and the present, a stranger with a familiar face.
Eldridge didn’t treat me like a stranger, though. He enveloped me in a huge hug. “Hey, Bonnie girl. We’ve missed you.”
My eyes welled as I clutched the older man. He still smelled like Old Spice and JFG Coffee, a quiet, calm presence who’d always thought of me like a daughter.
“I’ve missed y’all too,” I choked out.
I could hear Danny in the bedroom down the hall, speaking to his mother. There hadn’t been any other cars in the driveway, so I knew Danny’s sisters were giving us some space.
Eldridge pulled away with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Bonnie. I don’t know what’s gotten into Danny.” I knew he wanted to say more on the subject, but I shook my head a little, and he nodded. “I just appreciate you coming to see Diane before—well, I appreciate you coming.”
“Of course,” I replied, squeezing his hands in mine. The urge to apologize was right there on the tip of my tongue, to say I was sorry for staying away. But I knew that was a lie. I’d needed time and distance. While I hated what the Jensens were going through now, I knew my role in their lives had changed. Some things just couldn’t stay the same.
I made my way to the bedroom, swallowing hard when I caught sight of Diane sitting up in bed. It was a shock to the system. It had been a few months since I’d seen Danny’s mother, but in that time she’d clearly lost weight. The lines on her face were more pronounced, and she looked tired and worn down.
“There she is,” Diane said, grinning at me. “Danny, give us some time to visit.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Danny murmured before rounding the bed.
As Danny moved by me toward the door, he suddenly leaned down and pressed a kiss to my temple. I stiffened in response, but didn’t want to cause a scene in front of his mother. She was still smiling at me, blue eyes warm in a weathered face. Then she patted the spot next to her on the bed.
I shook off my unease and sat down near Diane’s legs, facing her.
She clutched my hand in both of hers. “It is so good to see you, honey.”
