“Either, I guess.”
“I’m not sure it’s worth it.”
“Really? Because of Hannah? Or because you don’t want to get your heart broken a second time?”
Ethan considered this. “Both, I guess.”
“Listen, someone once told me that the greatest gift a parent can give a child is to live a joyful life.”
“Do you believe that? I’ve seen you and Dad sacrifice plenty for our family.”
“Yes, we sacrificed, but we did it joyfully. It’s what we wanted to do. Let me explain. My mom worked three jobs to support our family, and she made it very clear that she’d given all she had to give. I never really felt I could ask her for anything—help with babysitting, a ride to the doctor’s office, or even a carton of milk, because everything came with a heaping helping of guilt. I loved my mom and I’m so grateful for her, but I’m also sad she carried around resentment and hostility for most of her life.”
“I’m not resentful or hostile.”
“But you might get there if you let Hannah thwart your happiness.” Mom cocked her head. “Does Zoe make you happy?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then you can’t let Hannah spoil that for you.”
“Mom—”
She cut him off. “I was really disappointed you didn’t bring her.”
Ethan shook his head. “We’re not that serious.”
“Well, I am!”
“But what about Hannah?”
“She’ll get over it. Even if she doesn’t understand when she’s a snot-nosed teenager, she will when she’s older.”
“I was thinking I could just wait until Hannah graduates and goes to college.”
“Seven years? You’ll be a totally different person by then! Don’t you know your body continually sluffs off cells? Every seven years, you’re a whole new you! And what about children? What about giving Hannah siblings? And what about Zoe? Does she want children? Can she wait seven years?”
Of course his mom’s thoughts would steer in this direction. She loved kids and even though she already had seventeen grandchildren, she wanted more. When it came to children, she was like a woman dying of thirst standing at the base of Niagara Falls.
“Have you and Zoe talked about having a family?” she pressed.
“Mom!”
She jiggled his foot. “I just don’t want you to let her slip away.”
#
AKNOCK ON THE DOORmade Zoe take a breath. Wading through her collection of whatevers and whatnots, she went to see who had interrupted her frenzied search.
Courtney stood at the door, her smile fading to an expression of disbelief. “What’s happening in here?”
Zoe glanced over her shoulder at the mess she’d made. “My coins!” Zoe said. “I can’t find the coins.”
Courtney paled. “The ones you took to Canterbury for Ancestor Day?”
Zoe nodded.
“We brought the box back,” Courtney said. “Did you check it to see if the coins were in it?”
