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“Oh, God!” Jewel turned into Vin’s chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Held her firmly.
“Mom,” Rogen coaxed, “sit. Drink some tea.”
“No,” she said. “Sophia’s right. I have to tell Jewel all of this. You, as well.”
Jewel pulled away slightly, but Vin kept his arms around her. She looked over her shoulder at Rose-Marie, a bit distorted in her vision because Jewel’s eyes were also filled with tears.
Rose-Marie said, “I was the one who sent Rogen away. Not my husband. I was the one who set it all up. I wanted Rogen out of the mansion. I was someplace so dark and terrifying in my mind and in my heart I didn’t know how to deal with him. I didn’t want him to see me like that. And, yes, I wanted to drive a wedge between the two of you. I didn’t want the two of you to ever be together again.”
Jewel turned to fully face Rose-Marie. Vin stayed close, his chest grazing her back so that she knew he was right there if she needed him.
She tentatively ventured, “You didn’t want to see me because your daughter was gone and your best friend’s was still alive. The best friend you’d envied so much.”
Rose-Marie nodded. “With Taylor’s last breath, all the jealousy returned. Tenfold. More.”
“Rose-Marie,” Jewel gently said.
“You remind me of her,” Rose-Marie told Jewel. “Remember strangers would think you were sisters? You both had blond hair and blue eyes. And she adored you. She followed you everywhere she could. Looked up to you.”
“I loved her as though she was my sister,” Jewel said, her heart wrenching.
“I shouldn’t have done what I did to you. Or to your mother. I’ve lived with the guilt and the jealousy for so long, and all I can think,” she said with reverberating agony as she clutched the gold necklace with Taylor’s birthstone, at her throat, that she always wore, “is that the angels took my little girl because I never deserved her.” She tore away the dainty chain, dropped it on the coffee table, and rushed out, flinging open the pocket doors with a heavy thud.
“Mom!” Rogen called.
“Wait!” Jewel lunged toward him, flattening her palms to his chest. “Just wait.” Jewel turned to her stunned and clearly heart-stricken mother and said, “She’s your best friend, and she is in a lot of pain. Go to her.”
Tears flooded Sophia’s eyes. It took her a few moments to come around. Then she hurried out of the room.
Jewel turned back to Rogen and threw her arms around him. Cried in his strong embrace. Not just for her, but for him as well. Rose-Marie and Gian. Her parents. Vin, who always got caught in the Angelini–Catalano drama. And steadily weathered the squalls.
* * *
It took some time, but Jewel eventually pulled away from Rogen. Asked, “Are you all right?”
“This isn’t about me,” he roughly said. “Are you all right?”
“I don’t know. I think I might be in shock. And, yes, it is about you. That’s your mother who’s suffering so deeply.” She faced Vin. “And someone you care about.” She hugged him.
Vin whispered against her temple, “I know how much that hurt you. I’m so sorry.”
“Me, too,” Rogen told her.
She pulled in a few more deep breaths. The tears kept falling, but a bit slower now as she gradually came around. Though she trembled from head to toe.
To Rogen, she asked, “I need to go somewhere. Can you drive me?” She reached for her clutch on the
sofa cushion and handed over her keys, since she wasn’t wholly steady. Then looked over at Vin. “I need you with us.”
His fingertips gently grazed her wet cheeks. “Of course.”
Rogen snatched more tissues and gave them to her. “You’re killing us here, Jewel.”
She blotted her skin. It really didn’t do any good.
They left through the back entrance; Jewel was grateful Tea & Sympathy had separate access to the event room. God forbid the crowd out front should bear witness to Rose-Marie dashing out with Sophia hot on her heels, followed by the three of them. All visibly wrecked by Rose-Marie’s story.
Vin opened the passenger door of Jewel’s convertible and she slid into the tan leather seat. Rogen climbed in on the driver’s side and Vin sat directly behind her. She moved the seat up to give him more legroom.
