by Marci Bolden
“Yes, I know.” Phil kissed her head. “The baby’s out.”
“Hallelujah.” Harry threw his hands up.
Bouncing into the room as if she were a kangaroo, Jessica yelled, “Daddy, I’m starving! Let’s go!”
At Jess’s loud, happy voice, Mira jolted and let out a wail. Phil chuckled as Harry dropped his hands with a miserable-sounding groan.
Mallory O’Connell eased open the front door of her mother’s home and poked her head inside. She bit her lips to stop the giggle that threatened to erupt. She hadn’t told her mom she was coming home from California. She’d wanted her arrival to be a surprise and couldn’t wait to see the shock on her mother’s face.
The last year had been difficult for the entire O’Connell family. Her mother had become a bit of a local celebrity, but not in a good way. Annie had been shot during a robbery gone wrong. The event shined a light on the increasing crime rate in their suburban community. Stonehill had always somehow seemed immune to those kinds of dangers. Even though Annie had survived, her ordeal made people more aware. Neighbors glanced over their shoulders and hugged their purses a bit more closely as they walked around the town square.
Annie’s recovery had been slow, but her family was determined to return to normal because, as they all insisted, life went on. Annie had finally married Marcus Callison, the man who had been by her side long before she’d actually needed a shoulder to lean on. Mallory had graduated from college and accepted her dream job. But that job had taken her to San Diego—far away from Stonehill, her family, and Annie’s recovery.
Mallory loved her work, loved the city, but being away from her mom had taken its toll. Just four months after moving to California, Mallory decided to return to the Midwest. She was the epitome of independence—Annie had raised her that way—but she’d damn near lost her mother. Her budding career and big dreams didn’t seem so important anymore. Traveling the world moved down on her to-do list. Being independent didn’t have quite the same meaning as it had when she’d been a teenager eager to leave home. Her priorities had changed; she just hadn’t realized that until she was gone.
Months had passed since she’d simply sat down next to Annie and had a conversation. She wanted that more than anything—more than was probably logical for a grown woman, but that didn’t make her want it any less. She needed to be home to see her mom through her recovery and spend as much time with her family as possible. That was what had become the most important thing to her.
Easing the door closed behind her, Mallory listened for signs of life in the house. She heard the television and pictured Marcus enthralled with some old movie while Annie sat on the other end of the couch with her nose stuck in a book.
After quietly dropping her bags by the door, Mallory tiptoed toward the living room, a childish excitement filling her and making her heart beat faster. When she was about eight, she’d discovered how easy it was to sneak up and startle her mom. She’d done it over and over—easing into the kitchen and screaming boo! just to make her mom squeal. She hadn’t stopped until her mother suffered a severe brain trauma and scaring her seemed more cruel than funny.
However, this time was different. This time she wasn’t scaring them for a laugh. This was like the best kind of surprise. She couldn’t wait to see their faces when she popped around the corner. Her mom was going to freak—in a good way. However, when she bounced into the living room, a big smile on her face, she was the only one taken aback. Annie was straddling Marcus’s lap, her blouse hanging off her shoulders. Marcus kissed her neck and cupped her…
Gross!
Mallory covered her eyes and turned her back on her parental units as she gasped loudly. “Seriously? Are you guys sixteen?”
“Mallory?” Annie asked. Though the residual effects of her injury made her voice a bit slurred, she sounded just as shocked as her daughter. “What are you doing here?”
“Getting scarred for life, apparently. What are you doing?” She pressed her palms to her ears. “No. Don’t answer that. Do not answer that.” Dropping her hands, she glanced at her parents and winced. “I’m going to go get lunch. You guys finish…” She shuddered at the thought, which she immediately banished. “Oh, gross. This is just…ick! I’ll be back later.”
“Wait,” Annie called.
By the time Annie caught up to Mallory, she’d pressed the Velcro fasteners on her blouse closed. Kara Martinson-Canton had adapted all of Annie’s clothes so she’d feel more independent during the months she was regaining the use of her hands. Mal felt all icky inside when she realized easy-on also meant her mother’s clothes were easy to remove. Annie’s straight blond hair was a ruffled mess, and her lips were pink and puffy. Mallory looked away from the whisker burn on her mother’s neck and cringed at the image that would forever be embedded in her mind.
“Mom. Really. I’m going to run to the café. When I come back, we can try this happy homecoming thing again. With less…nudity. A lot less nudity.”
Annie shook her head and put her hands to Mallory’s shoulders to stop her from moving away. “What are you doing here?”
The brain injury was more than enough reason as far as Mal was concerned. Her mother’s voice used to be so clear and commanding. Now every word had to be painstakingly enunciated, drawing attention to how much she still struggled. Even if Annie was actively recovering, hearing her mother speak on the phone, listening to Annie’s continued battles toward recovery, made Mallory’s heart break. Not being in Stonehill with her mom was killing her a little each day.
Marcus stepped around Mallory and stood next to his wife. “Are you okay, Mal?”
She frowned. “I just witnessed my parents making out on the sofa like unsupervised teenagers. No. I’m not okay. I’m permanently damaged.” Heat rose to her cheeks, and she had no doubt her skin was as red as Annie’s.
“Is something wrong?” he pressed. “Did something happen?”
Mallory forced a smile. “Nope. Just missed you guys.”
Suspicion clouded Annie’s eyes. Her mother might have lost some abilities after being injured, but seeing right through Mallory wasn’t one.
“I’m going to the café.”
“Don’t leave,” Marcus said.
Mallory scrunched up her face. “No. Really. I need to bleach my eyes. And I’m starving. I just hope I can keep down whatever I eat.” She pushed her way between them, snatched her purse from her pile of bags, and was out the door in seconds. She drew a deep breath, inhaling the crisp early spring air, concentrating on the sharpness in her lungs.
While seeing her mom on the verge of having sex was something she definitely could have lived her entire life without experiencing, Mallory had to chuckle. At least some aspects of her mother’s recovery were on track.
That gross feeling washed over her again. She shook her head hard, trying to dislodge the image. The only way to fix this was a hot meal and hotter coffee.
Chapter Two
Mallory parked in front of the Stonehill Café and rushed toward the door. Though the sun was shining, the air was still bitter from a long winter and the breeze sweeping down Main Street went straight through Mallory’s sweatshirt and into her bones. The bell above the café door chimed as she hurried inside. She glanced around for a moment before her heart swelled and a smile broke across her face.
Her stepdad’s sister, Jenna, owner of the café, gasped when she noticed Mal walking in the door. Though the old building needed massive upgrades, Jenna was an amazing cook and today seemed to be taking on the role of both cook and waitress. Though she had a dusting of flour on her Bee Gees T-shirt, she was also seating a couple at a booth. She dropped two menus and said she’d be right back then made a beeline for Mallory. The dark brown bun on the top of her head bounced with every step as she spread her arms wide in anticipation of a big hug.
“Oh my God,” Jenna gushed. “If it isn’t my favorite niece, back from California.”
“I’m your only niece.” Mallory embra
ced the woman who had really only been her aunt for the four months since Annie and Marcus had married.
Jenna was a nurturer and had made Mallory feel like she’d been a part of their family long before she really was. Just as Mallory had started treating Marcus like a father before he and Annie had even started dating. In a way, Jenna had been her aunt even before her mom and Jenna’s brother had married.
Breaking the embrace, Jenna put her hand to Mallory’s cheek and peered into her eyes as if assessing the wellness of her soul. “I didn’t know you were in town.”
“I wanted to surprise Mom.”
“Aw, honey, I bet she’s over the moon.”
Mallory laughed. “Yeah. She’s…something.” Curiosity touched Jenna’s eyes, but Mal didn’t expand on her comment. “I’m starving and in desperate need of sustenance. I’ve been on the road for the last two days. I need real food and strong coffee.”
“Well, you came to the right place. Take a seat, sweetie. I’ll bring you a cup in just a sec.”
Mallory was sliding into a booth by the window when she noticed a little girl peeking over the top of the cracked red vinyl seat across from her. She grinned, immediately recognizing her. “Hey, Jessica.”
The girl beamed, clearly thrilled that Mal remembered her.
“What’s up?” Mallory asked.
“The sky.”
Mallory laughed more than the joke required. “Very clever. How are you?”
Jessica rested her folded arms on the back of the booth and her smile widened. “Jenna added rainbow pancakes to the menu. And guess what?”
Mal didn’t have a chance to guess before Jessica told her.
“She named them after me because she didn’t have rainbow pancakes until I asked her to make them. They are on the kid section, but she’ll let you order them. You should. They are de-licious.”
“I bet they are.” Mallory couldn’t help but feel excited for the girl. Clearly this was a big accomplishment for her. Then again, who didn’t want pancakes named after them?
A few beats passed as Jessica narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. “I thought you moved away.”
“I did. But I came home to see my mom.”
“I don’t have a mom,” she said as casually as one might comment on the weather.
Mallory opened her mouth but wasn’t quite sure how to respond. She knew that Jessica’s mother had bailed when the girl was an infant. Mal understood the hole in Jessica’s life—her dad had ducked out before she was even born. Annie had been a single mother from the moment she’d told him she was pregnant.
“I didn’t have a dad for a long time,” Mallory said, wanting to give the girl hope, “but then my mom got married. To Jenna’s brother, actually. I like to think of him as my dad, even though he really isn’t. And that makes Jenna my aunt.”
Jessica rolled her eyes with all the disgust the rainbow-pancake-loving little girl seemed to be able to muster. “My dad will never get married. He’s too peculiar.”
Mallory didn’t mean to laugh, but the sound ripped from her chest. She’d met Jessica’s father. He was cute. Nice. A bit of a hippie, but he was Kara’s child, and that woman looked like she’d walked out of a Woodstock documentary. Even so, Phil hadn’t seemed odd to Mallory. “What do you mean, he’s too peculiar?”
“Grandma says that he’ll never find a girlfriend if he doesn’t stop being so picky.”
“Oh. You mean particular.”
Jess shrugged, as if she didn’t care that she’d used the wrong word. “Grandma says it’s important that Daddy be choosy, but he can’t expect to find someone if he never dates anyone. He says he’ll date when he’s ready, but I think he is ready, because I caught him flirting with my teacher.” Jessica looked up and smiled when a throat cleared as someone approached her table. “Hi, Daddy.”
Phil seemed to have overheard at least a part of the conversation he’d interrupted. He had an air of disapproval on his face as he drew his mouth tight and lifted his brows at his daughter. “Hey, Punk.”
“Did you remember to use a paper towel to open the bathroom door so you don’t get germs on your fingers?”
He nodded. “I did. Thanks for checking.”
Jessica returned her attention to Mallory. “Some people don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, so you should always use a paper towel or your sleeve to open the bathroom door.”
“Good tip. Thanks.” Mallory tried to hide her smile but figured her amusement was out there for the world to see. Jessica’s father, on the other hand, still didn’t appear amused. “Hi, Phil. How are you?” Mallory asked to rescue the girl from his scowl.
He stared, as if not quite sure who she was. Most people who knew Annie immediately recognized Mal as the woman’s offspring. From her straight blond hair to her pointed nose and cool gray eyes, Mallory was practically identical to her mother.
“Mallory O’Connell. We met at my uncle Paul’s wedding. I’m Annie’s daughter.”
Recognition lit his eyes as he nodded. “Right. How’s your mom?”
“She’s okay. Getting better every day, so she says.”
“I was glad the guy pled so Annie didn’t have to go through the trial. My mom said she was really worried about having to testify.”
Yet another reason why Mallory had hated being away from home. Anticipating the trial had been nerve-racking for Annie and Marcus. Neither had wanted to relive the moment their lives had changed forever. They hadn’t said as much to her, though. Mallory heard from her uncles how choked up Annie still got talking about the moment a bullet ripped through her and how she didn’t seem willing to do that in front of the man who had hurt her. Her mother had reluctantly given a statement at the sentencing hearing and only because the prosecution insisted the judge needed to see firsthand how much damage had been done. Mallory knew that alone would have been stressful and was glad Annie hadn’t had to sit on the stand and answer detailed questions about the incident and her recovery.
Phil put his hands casually into his pockets. “I thought you were—”
“In California,” she finished. “Yes. I was. I just got back, actually.”
“For good or just visiting?”
“For good. I felt like a shi—” Her gaze darted to where Jessica was still peering over the booth, hanging on her every word. “Like a jerk not being here for Mom. I know she and Marcus can use my help right now. Even if they won’t admit it.”
He furrowed his thick brows as concern filled his dark eyes. Though Kara clearly impacted his taste in attire, his olive skin and dark features were all Harry Canton. “Is she really okay?”
“She doesn’t like when people feel sorry for her,” Jessica said. “If you feel sorry for her, she’s going to be mad at you.”
Jessica wasn’t wrong. Annie and Marcus both would be furious if they knew the real reason Mallory had given up her dream job and living in SoCal was that she felt so damned guilty living her own life that she couldn’t even sleep at night.
While Annie had been in the hospital recovering, she and Jessica bonded over their disabilities. Jessica had grown up dealing with pity, but that kind of attention was new to Annie, and she hadn’t handled it well. Kara had made an effort to bring Jessica around once she saw Annie interacting with the girl. Kara said one of Jessica’s natural talents was helping people who didn’t know they needed it. She was right. Without even being aware of what she was doing, Jessica was able to guide Annie to the inner strength she needed to stop being angry about her situation and to start recovering. The two had forged a strong bond, one that was evident in Jessica’s defense of Annie now.
“I’m not feeling sorry for her,” Mal said. “I just want to be here for her.”
Phil gestured to the table that Jessica hadn’t faced since Mallory sat down. “Finish your pancakes, Punk.”
Jessica huffed but turned and disappeared behind the booth.
Phil sank into the seat across from Mallory. The concern in his brown eyes was
almost enough to make Mallory cry, though she didn’t understand why. She wasn’t the one who needed the help. She was the one who had come home to help.
“I know worrying and family go hand in hand,” Phil said, “but your mom really does seem to be doing okay. She and Marcus came to Jessica’s birthday party last weekend. She smiled and laughed and seemed to enjoy herself. Marcus had to help her a little bit, sure, but she really was okay.”
“Good to hear.”
Jenna set a cup of coffee in front of Mallory and smiled at the little face poking over the seat. “How are your pancakes, Miss Jess?”
“Fine,” Jessica said with a pout to her voice.
Mallory tried not to chuckle, but a giggle escaped. “Can I get some of those rainbow pancakes she was telling me about?” she asked to atone for the slip.
“The Jessica Special? Coming right up. Phil, you need anything?” She glanced between the two adults, clearly trying to gauge what was going on.
“No, thanks, Jen. I’m good.” Phil waited for Jenna to disappear before looking at Mallory again. “You didn’t answer me before—and feel free to tell me it’s none of my business—but is Annie okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. I mean, she’s not fine, she’s…got residual issues, but…” She laughed awkwardly. “She’s not in a coma anymore, right?” Her smile faded, and she sipped her coffee as he scrutinized her from across the table. Finally she set the cup down and fell back in the booth. “Sorry. I tend to make inappropriate jokes when I’m upset.”
“I don’t mean to upset you.”
She frowned as he gave her an encouraging smile. His mother had that same look. The one that made the words want to pour out of Mallory. When Annie was in the hospital and no one knew if she’d live, let alone recover, Kara had a way about her that made Mallory want to break down and let out some of her fear. She never had. She’d been too terrified that the reality of her mother’s condition would consume her. That fear still lingered in the back of her mind.