“Oh, I bet. I hope your mother’s not too put out that you’ll be away from her this year.”
“She’s had me every year.” I shrug and follow Jolene up the stairs.
“Two of Braden’s brothers are unmarried, and they’re already here.” She gestures down the hallway, but we continue up another floor to the attic. “The married one is a professional football player, and he won’t make it until after Christmas. I was hoping his wife and daughter could come, but Ben was worried about them driving on their own.”
“Ben?” My spidey senses tingle over my scalp and the back of my neck.
“I guess you never met Ben and Brittney, either.” Jolene opens the attic door and waves her hand for me to enter.
“No, ma’am, but Ben and Brittney sound familiar.” I don’t know why my tongue is dull and I’m slurring my words, except a giant ball of impending doom presses down on my chest and knocks the wind from my lungs.
Brittney is my cousin, and the reason Ben never mentioned Braden is because they’re estranged. Yikes!
“I should have a word with your dad,” Jolene says. “Except it’s not my place, being only his stepmother. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have intruded. Your father hasn’t spoken to his family for quite some time. Let’s not make a big deal about it. You’ll meet the rest of the family over breakfast.”
“Are Ben and Brittney here?” My mind is a cloud of confusion as I try to recall what she said about them and the football game.
Jolene must be nervous because she starts fluffing pillows and rearranging stuffed animals. “No, as I was telling you. Ben plays for the Las Vegas Brigands, and they have a game on Christmas Day. Brittney and Collie will spend Christmas in Vegas with him, and then they’ll fly over as soon as they can. Unfortunately, the weather forecast isn’t good.”
“Yes, unfortunate.” I sink onto the bottom bunk bed, wishing I could sink to the bottom of the ocean.
I am so busted!
