Page 66 of Second Chances

Considering the silent heart attacks Burnside Van Holland had experienced, Josh was afraid this would happen and had counseled Diadema about it earlier in the summer. To Effie and her brother, he said, “This is normal, and a positive for your dad.”

“Bro, I get it!” Hamilton shrugged. “Try telling that to Mom, though, when she’s having one of her freak-outs. Like, put the booze down first, Diadema, and then everything can register.”

“Ham, you didn’t tell me she was drinking again,” Effie said. “I thought she was doing better.”

Hamilton raised his perfectly manicured eyebrows. “Maybe when you’re around, because she knows you’re going to give her shit about it. You know I can’t talk to her about any of that.” When Josh and Effie had first begun dating two years ago, Hamilton had been living at home with his parents with no direction for his future. Though he had matured after getting his own apartment and enrolling in Beverley Community College, he was still eager to take a back seat and let his older sister drive when it came to confronting their mother.

“This is not good, not with our wedding coming up.” Effie shook her head at Josh. “And not with your dad dating Charlotte.”

“Oh, I’ve heard all about Charlotte,” Hamilton stated. “I was at Mom and Dad’s the other day when Nora stopped by, and they were talking about Cait setting Henry and Charlotte up at the street dance. Mom made a big production saying she wasn’t sure Charlotte was right for Henry, and that he was going to get his heart broken. I mean, tell me why Mom cares?”

“She doesn’t! This is just Mom focusing on something else so she doesn’t have to think about your dad. Or herself. She’s scared, and I blame myself. I’ve been so wrapped up in the wedding and writing my book and working at the library, and probably a million other things, that I don’t make it over to Clover Lake as often as I should.”

“Hey.” Josh crossed over to where Effie stood at the counter, putting the waffles she’d warmed up on a plate for her brother. “Whatever is going on with your mom isn’t your fault.”

“Josh is right, Sis. Our mom needs to get a grip and deal with everything. If you’re worried about her interfering between Charlotte and Henry, don’t. I also heard Nora telling Mom how Henry is, like, half in love already,” Hamilton poured what remained of their precious supply of Vermont maple syrup on his waffles. “Hey, bro, I meant to ask if you got any more of those phone calls at the hospital?”

Effie’s dark brows pulled together in a frown. “Phone calls? What’s he talking about, Josh?”

Tossing a glare at his future brother-in-law, Josh answered, “Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing, and I asked your brother not to say anything.”

Effie looked between Hamilton and Josh, suspicion clouding her golden eyes. “Okay, but say anything about what?”

“Sorry, man.” Hamilton flashed Josh a smile. “I’ve just been watching all these classic episodes of Unsolved Mysteries online. Those calls were kind of freaky⁠—”

“Will someone please tell me what you two are talking about!” Effie demanded, hands on her hips.

“Last week, Ham came to the hospital for lunch, and when we were in the cafeteria, I got paged. Someone called me, but when I picked up the call, no one was there.”

“The creepy thing is, Josh told me it’s happened before!”

“Would you please shut up!” Why couldn’t his future brother-in-law read the room? The last thing he needed was to upset Effie, who had enough on her plate with her mother’s issues.

Effie was far more rational than her brother, however, and asked, “Do you think it’s your mom? Could she be calling the hospital like she calls your dad’s shop?”

“Bro, you didn’t tell me Henry’s been getting calls, too,” Hamilton said. “This is way suspicious.”

Effie rounded the table to sit in Josh’s lap. “Should we be worried, babe?” Her fingers tugged his earlobe.

“No, but…”

“But what?” Effie’s black eyebrows drew together in a frown.

“I doubt it’s my mom calling me. The receptionist at the hospital said whoever called sounded like a young woman. Probably family of a patient I’ve had. As for my dad’s calls, I don’t know that he’s actually heard the voice, and the guys there wouldn’t be helpful in a police lineup of voices. It’s probably all a coincidence.”

“Okay. As long as you’re sure?” Josh nodded reassuringly at Effie, kissing the fingertips of her free hand.

“I don’t know, I say it sounds freaky as hell.” Hamilton finished the rest of the orange juice and opened a fresh bottle.

“Time for you to go, Ham,” Josh directed.

“What? I thought we were gonna shoot some hoops?”

“Nope, not anymore.” Josh stood, swooping Effie up in his arms as she squealed in delight. Heading to the stairs, he said, “We have official wedding stuff to take care of. You really might want to leave now.” Not really caring what Effie’s brother did, Josh swiftly climbed the stairs with Effie in his arms. As her teeth sank into his neck, he kicked their bedroom door shut behind him.

Over a month had passed since Charlotte had first woken up in Henry’s arms, and she was clearly in her sexual fulfillment era, trembling as Henry’s beard-stubbled face made its way up her legs. Starting with her ankles, his mouth feathered the backs of her calves with kisses, until his beard scraped between her thighs, where he swirled his tongue, making her hips rock. She wailed, “Henry,” and tugged at his head. He rose to his knees, lifting her to meet him. Delirious, Charlotte scraped his back as his lean arms braced his body above hers.

After he collapsed next to her, he laid his head on her stomach; she smoothed damp strands of hair from his forehead. “What time are the guys getting here?” Today was the wedding, and Josh was coming to Henry’s house to get ready, since Effie and her entourage were gathering over at the house Effie and Josh shared. The ceremony was later in the afternoon at the city park, but Charlotte was going over there this morning to help some of the family set up for the wedding.