“We were so glad to hear your daughter is doing well,” Sally said. “That must have been terrifying and sad.”
Eli nodded and took a step closer. “I’m sorry to interrupt our day with you.”
“No apologies necessary,” Gary said, giving a tight smile. “In fact”—he turned to look at Jonah—“if anyone should be doling them out, it’s us.”
Jonah’s eyes flickered with surprise. “You?”
“We reacted in grief and shock after Carly died,” he said, putting a hand on Jonah’s shoulder. “We’re still grieving and will be for a long time. But, as we just told you outside, it’s clear that Atlas is in a good home, well-loved and cared for.”
“You’re a good father,” Sally said to Jonah, voice catching. “And you must let go of any thought of being cursed. You couldn’t control Carly. No one could. That was why we all loved her.” She gave a sad smile and looked around at each face. “This family—what we’ve seen here, love in the midst of trauma, support and strength…it’s everything we could hope for Atlas. We won’t contest anything. We don’t want to fight.”
Maggie felt a sigh of relief escape as she watched the exchange.
“We give you a lot of credit, Eli,” Gary added. “You’re clearly the leader of this unusual household, and one who’ll be a wonderful influence and a terrific grandfather.”
“You’ll share the honor,” Eli said, coming around the island with arms outstretched.
Maggie watched the two men hug, aware of her eyes filling with tears. Before she got caught getting mushy, she stepped away while the hugfest unfolded.
Vivien, Tessa, and Kate were coming down the stairs just as she reached the bottom.
“Everything okay down here?” Vivien asked.
“Yes. They’re not fighting. Apparently, they love a good dysfunctional family.”
Tessa snorted softly.
“Can I see Meredith?” Maggie asked Vivien.
“Yes, but Mom…” Vivien hesitated, then lowered her voice. “She’s been through a lot. Emotionally and physically. Go easy. She can’t be judged for what happened.”
“Would you all please stop muzzling me?” Maggie asked. “I’ve changed. Did you not just witness me baring the soft underbelly of this family like a Lifetime movie?”
Vivien laughed. “Okay. It’s just that she loves you and is, you know, afraid of you.”
“She has nothing to be afraid of,” Maggie said, stepping by her. “I promise you.”
She made her way upstairs to Meredith’s bedroom, easing the door open. Meredith lay on the bed, eyes half-closed, a bottle of water on the nightstand.
“Hello, my favorite grandchild.”
Meredith moaned but it sounded like a laugh. “Don’t tell Nolie.”
Relieved to hear she still had her sense of humor, Maggie walked to the bed and sat on the edge. “Can I visit with you for a moment?”
“If you can stand me.”
“Stop it.” Maggie took her hand and folded her lovely fingers in her own wrinkled and spotted ones. “You scared me,” she whispered.
It took a second, but Meredith sat up a little, wincing in pain but settling against a stack of pillows that her caretakers must have set up for her.
“I thought you’d be so disappointed in me,” she said. “I hate to disappoint you.”
“You hate to disappoint anyone,” Maggie said. “That’s what drives you.”
Meredith narrowed her green eyes, her expression so like her mother—a woman Maggie had truly liked and mourned. “Well, I managed to disappoint everyone this time, including myself.”
Maggie brushed her hand gently down Meredith’s arm. “You set the bar too high.”
