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“This little boy is Drew and Emma’s brother.”
Genevieve sighed heavily. “Don’t you think your plate is full enough already, Willow? You’re a single mother with two children. You’re homeschooling your son. You’re living at a tourist lodge. Not ten minutes ago, you told me you wanted to try to get a new business off the ground. How are you supposed to do that with a toddler in tow?”
These were all arguments Willow had made with herself.She didn’t like arguing against all the points she herself recognized as valid. She was in between a rock and a hard place here.
“I’m not taking him to raise. I’m taking him in only until Maggie can work something else out.”
“Fine.” Genevieve threw out her hands, causing the liquid to slosh out of the glass. “You’ll keep him for a little while, and in the meantime, your children will bond with this boy. So they’ll suffer another loss when you send him back to Maggie. What will that do to them?”
“Dammit, Mom! What am I supposed to say? You are exactly right. I don’t want to bring my dead husband’s love child into my home! I don’t want to look at AJ and be reminded of all the times my husband lied to me because he wasn’t working late like he said he was. I don’t want to feel like pond scum because I can’t see an innocent child but instead see the sins of his parents. All of that is true. But he’s an orphan. Heisinnocent. HeisDrew and Emma’s brother. I need to be able to look them in the eyes when they grow up.”
“I understand all of that. I do. I’m saying there has to be a different solution, something that’s good for AJ and you and your family. Because I know you, Willow. I know you better than anyone else on this earth. Involving yourself with this little boy will break your heart. You told me earlier in this conversation that I had good instincts. You saidlistenis your guiding word for the year. Well, listen to me, daughter, because my instincts tell me that taking this child into your heart and home will explode in your face. I won’t let you do this. I’ll… I’ll… oh hell.”
Genevieve drew a deep breath, then exhaled in a rush. “I’ll go to Texas and take care of the child until Maggie can make permanent arrangements.”
A lump the size of a golf ball formed in Willow’s throat. Her heart melted. “Oh, Mom. You have the most generous heart of anyone, anywhere. You are always, always, always trying to fix things for your children. Thank you for the thought, but you can’t fix this. This isn’t your problem. You have your passion to seek out and your balance to achieve. AJ is my problem, not yours.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true,” Genevieve said, her tone and her body language grim. “It would be some serious backsliding on my part, wouldn’t it?”
Then Willow’s mother did something entirely out of character. She uttered a primal scream and threw her glass at Andy’s picture, knocking it off the wall. Both the frame and the crystal crashed on the tile floor and shattered.
“Whoa, Mom. That was your Baccarat.”
Eyes flashing, Genevieve looked at Willow and declared, “I am so sorry that Andy Eldridge is already dead, so I can’t murder him myself.”
“I know, Mom,” Willow said in a soothing tone.
“I’m so beyond furious with him!”
“I know, Mom,” she repeated. “Believe me, I did my share of throwing things.”
“How will you manage? A toddler, Willow? And two more? You’ll be run ragged.”
A little bubble of hysteria rose within Willow. “I haven’t told you about the puppy.”
“Puppy! Oh, Willow. You have to be kidding me.”
“I don’t think I am.” She told her mother about Noah Tannehill’s puppies, finishing that part of her tale by saying, “It’s your fault. You threw me under the puppy bus by sending me over there. You and your passion.”
“I didn’t know about the puppies. I was hoping the topicmight lead to a more interesting discussion between you and Noah.”
It had, but Willow saw no benefit to going into that particular subject with her mother right at the moment. “Think about it, Mom. As terrible as this sounds, if Drew and Emma get a little brother and a new puppy simultaneously, what will they like best?”
Genevieve shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Oh, that is terrible.”
“I called Drew’s counselor this afternoon and explained the situation. She advised me on how to explain AJ to my kids, and she agreed that a puppy was a great idea. Actually, she thought two puppies might be the ticket.”
Genevieve covered her mouth with her hand, but Willow heard the little horrified snort of laughter. “Oh, heavens. Willow. Two puppies and a toddler? None of them potty-trained, I imagine. Just how old is this child?”
“Not quite two.”
Genevieve shook her head as she stared at the mess of broken glass lying on the floor. “And when is all of this happening?”
“His nanny is bringing him tomorrow.” Sighing, Willow added, “I have to talk to Noah about the puppies.”
“Lovely.” Genevieve glanced up and met Willow’s gaze. “Emotional issues aside, it will be pure hell for you.”
“All I can do is take it one day at a time. Look, let’s not forget that AJ is Maggie’s grandchild, and Maggie wants him. She’s not going to leave him in Colorado indefinitely, and I’m not moving back to Texas. I’ve made that decision, and you gave it your official seal of approval.”
