“Your father doesn’t like anyone knowing,” her mother replied. “Right, Silas?”
“Knowing doesn’t help much.” He started leading her away. “We get along fine on our own.”
“But Hannah is here now.” She went along with him a few steps before pausing, her green eyes a little cloudy. “My goodness, you still look so much like Sarah. I always wonder what she’d look like if she were still here. Oh, Silas. Don’t you see? She’d be all grown up like Hannah.”
Tears started to slip down her mother’s cheeks, and Hannah’s throat closed. Sometimes when she looked in the mirror, she wondered whether Sarah would still be so thin or whether her sister would have filled out like she had. Then sometimes she wondered if she’d ever stop speculating on something that would never be…
God, even knowing Sarah wanted her back in Sanctuary Springs was a small comfort.
“Come on, Martha.” Her father took her in hand again, cupping her elbow. “You go on and rest a spell.”
“Sarah…”
Her anguished whisper had Hannah clutching her hands behind her back, staring at the frail, almost vacant woman who was wandering into the other room. The last time she’d been home had been two years ago, and her mother had been shaky and needy. They didn’t speak too often when she was away. She’d sent her an email or two and called on bigoccasions. The limits on their communication had worked for everyone.
She was the daughter who’d lived while Sarah, her mother’s favorite, had died.
When her father had thought she’d follow in his footsteps as a doctor, they’d gotten along better. But he’d barely spoken to her since she’d decided against medical school. Even becoming an accomplished herbalist hadn’t improved his disposition like she’d hoped.
Given his crack about her helping Will, she feared there was nothing she could do to regain his respect. Maybe seeing her in action in their hometown would help—if her trial run at the ranch was successful. Hadn’t she included getting along with her father in the mix? Maybe she’d need to revise that, seeing how it was a dead end.
“Hannah, your mother isn’t feeling too well today,” her father said, walking over to the doorway, his clinical gaze following her path to the couch. “Since you’re back for a while, we should reschedule.”
Reschedule Father’s Day? She fought the urge to say,Yes, Dr. Montgomery.But that would only make his narrow face pucker up with even more displeasure. “Tell me more about her fall. Maybe I can help.”
“She’s under my care, and we’re handling things. Like we’ve always done. Besides, she’s out of sorts because she didn’t sleep well, worrying about you traveling and coming home.”
“Tell Hannah I’ll make another cake, Silas,” her mother called.
“What happened to the cake?” Hannah asked, feeling the first threads of irritation rise.
Her father walked over and opened the door. “Like I said, your mother’s only out of sorts. She dropped it when she heard the knock. You two go on and see Jolene. She and thosecrazy boys of hers are probably spying out their windows next door, waiting. Heck, the whole town about made me deaf with all their goings-on this week about you returning to Sanctuary Springs. I heard you’re staying in Will’s house on the ranch.”
She could hear the implication a mile away. Oh, how she wished she could say something smart like,Staying with my own parents seemed impossible.“Seems like a good way to find out if Ben and I can coexist.”
Her father lowered his spectacles. “I wouldn’t lay bets there, but I guess it’s better than you staying here. It would be hard on your mother.”
God, he’d actually said it. It was one thing to feel your parents’ scorn, but to be so utterly rejected? That made Hannah’s chest ache.Nothing heals that level of agony.
“When you decide whether you’re going or coming, you need to address all the boxes you left in your old room.”
She fought back from saying,Why don’t I clean them up and get out of your way now?
“Hannah!” her mother called urgently.
She walked to the doorway. Her mother had turned anxiously on the sofa, gripping a pillow in her lap. “Don’t listen to your father. You’re always welcome here. In fact, we’re glad you’re home.”
Her chest tightened, and she could feel a shuddering breath trying to force its way out of her lungs. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll come by and see you soon.”
“Hannah, Jolene told me what you did, helping that poor little girl who was burned in that car accident. You have a gift, and I’m glad you’re sharing it. I wish you could have used it to help our Sarah.”
Her father sputtered in offense behind her, but she only took her mother’s hands in hers. “I wish that too, Mom. With every person I help.”
Her mother smiled softly, like the mother she remembered from her childhood when she and Sarah would comehome from school to find she’d made cookies for them as a treat. She wanted to stop time and catch this moment, because she didn’t know when that mother would come around again.
“Stay right here.” She walked over to a side table and brought over a plain paper grocery bag. “I understand you were looking for these.”
She peered inside and gasped. “Mom! You picked up my bag of chips at Pioneer Pantry.”
