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“Sort of last minute,” I choked out.
“Yeah,” Maddox said, scratching the back of his head. He held his hand out to Derek, who set Walt down to shake. “Good to see you again, man.”
“Same. Though not the best circumstances.”
Teena was introduced to Derek, and then everyone was ushered into the dining room. For a few blissful moments, everything felt normal. Gran’s cooking was as spectacular as always. Derek and I both had second helpings. We couldn’t find good Southern cooking in Boston. Maddox and Gran playfully argued about his career. Teena talked about the baking projects she’d been working on and how she wanted to get Gran’s buttermilk pie recipe. It was almost like at any second, Gramps would walk in from the backyard. He’d wash his dirt-covered hands in the mudroom before stepping into Gran’s clean kitchen. She’d joke about how he always brought the entire garden inside with him. After dinner, they’d dance to the tinny tunes playing through the radio they’d had since the ’60s.
But there was no Gramps. No gardening or jokes or dancing. I soaked up the time with my family, but we were missing a person, and each of us felt it distinctly with his empty chair at the head of the table.
Then, just after we cleared the plates and Gran was serving up dessert—her favorite Coca-Cola cake—a knock came from the door.
“I’ll get it,” Gran said. “Probably another friend bringing us food.”
I grimaced. People meant well. I was sure it was thoughtful, but having the reminder of Gramps’ death over and over again didn’t help anything but to dig the knife in deeper.
Then, I heard the voices from the other room. My eyes snapped to Maddox’s. For a second, we were little kids again, able to read each other’s minds like only twins were capable of doing. Without a word, we both shoved our chairs back and headed for the kitchen door.
“What’s going on?” Teena asked.
“Stay here,” Maddox said roughly.
I didn’t look at Derek, but I could sense his confusion. This was the last thing I’d wanted him to see when he took me home. There was one thing that I hid from nearly everyone in my life—my mother.
“Hannah, now isn’t the time,” Gran said with a sigh.
“This shouldn’t take too long,” my mom said, pushing past Gran and into the house.
She caught sight of me and Maddox stepping out of the kitchen and frowned. She was as stunning as ever, maybe more so. She’d had some work done since the last time I’d seen her. I only knew that it had happened because I’d memorized the face of the woman who had abandoned us. Her breasts were larger. Her smile plumper. Her forehead didn’t move. For someone whose entire existence depended on that unmistakable beauty, she had taken very good care of it. I used to think she looked like a supermodel, but I’d seen some of those too recently to think it this time. She looked like a pale imitation of that effortless beauty. A Southern caricature with big, dark hair and too-tight clothes.
“Kids,” she said with a sly smile.
Neither of us spoke. I felt Maddox touch my spine, the way he had when we were kids and Mom showed up unexpectantly. A constant reassurance.
“Hannah,” Gran repeated more sternly.
“Oh, stuff it,” Mom said with an eye roll. “You called me, remember?”
“Yes,” she said, losing her edge. “I called you to let you know your father had passed away. I believed that you’d want that information.”
She laughed, hoarse and dismissive. “That man isn’t my father.”
Gran colored. “Hannah Marie!”
“I was the disappointment, Mom,” she said with bitterness. “Remember? Knocked up too early. He told me to get rid of them.”
I winced. That didn’t sound like Gramps at all.
“He was mad, and he was wrong. He admitted it. We’ve had this conversation before. Bringing it up now in front of the kids is just cruel.”
“Of course I’m the cruel one when he was the one who wanted me to abort them.”
My fury pounded through me. “He’s the one who raised us. Not you.”
Maddox tensed next to me.
“Marley Sue,” Gran said with a shake of her head. “That’s enough, everyone. It’s been a long, trying day. If you want something, Hannah, just spit it out.”
The kitchen door creaked behind us. I winced slightly, knowing that Derek and Teena must have seen and heard everything that had happened. Mom glanced in that direction, and her eyes widened. Derek came to stand on my other side. His presence warm and comforting next to me. Between him and Maddox, I felt… safe.
“I think you should go,” he said slowly.
I put my arm out to stop him. “It’s fine.”
Mom met my gaze, and she smirked. I could read everything she was saying in that look. Derek looked like a tasty treat to her. And probably something about how her looks had won me a boy this attractive. Because how else could I get him for myself? Same old, same old. Unfortunately, it didn’t make me feel any less disgusting.
