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“If I can get everything to them by Monday or Tuesday at the latest, he’ll see me next Thursday.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“They called to schedule the appointment after Dr. Verner looked at my MRI. They didn’t give details, but I take it to mean what he saw concerned him. I called and talked to Aunt Sharon to get information on Mom’s side of the family. I need some medical information from you on your side too.”
Reece held up some papers.
“And I should warn you,” Megan continued, “Aunt Sharon is coming to visit.”
Graham’s groan drew Erin’s attention. “Did she say when or where she was staying?”
“She didn’t, and I didn’t ask. Or offer. She already has me stressed out, going worst-case scenario, talking about great grandma, and there might be other female relatives who died young. She’s freaking out and going to schedule an MRI herself.”
“You don’t need that right now. Have you, uh, told her I’m dating Erin?”
“I was not going to get into that with her because I’m sure she would have something to say.”
“Sharon is Bethann’s oldest sister,” he explained to Erin. “She’s the one who instigates ninety percent of the family drama.”
“More than ninety,” Megan muttered lowly.
“When Bethann was alive, Sharon stayed with us when she visited, but it might be awkward now.”
“Because she’s not married? I’ve noticed she’s kind of bitter about that.” Reece nailed it with that observation.
“That’s part of it. See, I spent a summer with Tyler, my best friend from West Point. His sister was friends with Sharon.”
“And Sharon developed a crush after meeting you.” Erin hitched a brow at him.
“How’d you know?”
“I have sisters too.”
“Well,Ididn’t know.” He’d been oblivious, especially with Sharon being a few years older than him. “Sharon and Tyler’s sister tagged along with us to a movie, which I didn’t think of as a date in any way. A couple of days later, Tyler and I went to a party thrown by his high school friend. I immediately noticed Bethann. I didn’t know she and Sharon were related until I picked her up for our second date. Years later, Sharon had too much to drink at a family get-together. Something triggered her, and she started in on how Bethann stole me from her. Which was ridiculous since we were never together.”
“She wouldn’t make a play for her late sister’s husband, right?” Erin asked.
“There’s no telling with Aunt Sharon,” Megan said. “She still talks about her old boyfriends, all two of them, like they dated a year or two ago instead of two decades ago. When she turned fifty, she bemoaned that she would never have children, but she hadn’t given up on getting married and being a stepmother, or at least a grandmother, someday. She kept saying she felt bad that I didn’t have my mother here to support me, but I could count on her.” Megan cleared her throat.
“Should I be worried?” Erin asked Graham with a hint of a smile.
“No!” He never had been, or would be, interested in Sharon romantically. But Erin even asking was a good sign. He hadn’t thought he was ready to date, much less marry, but Erin had slipped into his life so smoothly that he didn’t like thinking of his future without her in it.
“Not entirely true. Sharon comes off friendly, but you don’t want to get on her bad side. She holds a grudge, and sorry is not in her vocabulary.” Megan worded it more diplomatically than he could. “She does have a lot of good points.”
“Duly noted.” Erin chuckled.
“Maybe I’ll offer to pay for her to stay in a hotel if she insists on coming.” It seemed like a reasonable solution—and worth the cost for his and Megan’s peace of mind.
“You do that once, and she’ll expect it going forward. She might even come more often,” Megan added. “I’ve told her to wait until we know more. No guarantees.” She held up both hands in a surrender motion.
“Would you two like to stay for dinner?” Erin offered.
“We don’t want to intrude. I just wanted to update you and drop off the history forms.”
“You’re hardly intruding. You’re family. We’re having Hawaiian shrimp tacos, and there’s enough for four. You can work on the forms together while I fix dinner.”
“Tacos?” Reece repeated.
