Sara went on alert. Desiree was famous for keeping her cool, but judging from that tremor and her troubled expression, she was on the verge of losing it.
“I’m looking to find out what happened to my mum. She was here thirty?—”
With a soft cry, Desiree covered her mouth.
He stiffened. “You know?”
She nodded, tears in her eyes. “Come… come inside.”
Sara’s heart pounded. Whatever had Desiree this rattled had to be a very big deal. As they all trooped into the house, Lani grabbed her hand and squeezed. Her mom and dad exchanged a worried glance.
Desiree led the way down the hall to the living room. “Sit wherever you…” She swallowed. “Wherever you want." Shemurmured something to her dog, then gestured toward the large leather sofa and the armchairs that flanked it. Her gaze never left Kieran.
He took a ragged breath. “I’d as soon stand.”
“Me… me, too.” She pressed a hand to her chest.
They all stood, as if sitting would be disrespectful considering that something big was coming.
Digging in her pocket, Desiree pulled out a tissue and mopped her face. “Well, then.” She balled the tissue in her fist. “I knew your mother. Your mum.”
His face paled. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”
“Yes, but?—”
“I knew she was, but a part of me wanted to believe….”
“I’m sorry.” She took a quick breath. “There’s more, Kieran. You have—” She gulped. “You have a half-brother.”
Lucky. Sara gasped.
Kieran went white.
Sara lunged forward and grabbed his arm as he swayed. “I’ve got you.” Crazy thing to say. If he went down, she’d go with him.
He didn’t acknowledge her support, just stood there shaking and breathing fast, too fast. She took his hat from his unresisting fingers.
Her mom sprang into action. “I’ll get some water.”
Desiree went to him and gripped his shoulders.
Good. With two of them bracing him, he’d stay upright.
“I shouldn’t have blurted it out.” Desiree’s voice quivered. “I should have waited, led up to it. I?—”
“A brother.” The faint words barely made it past his lips.
“His name’s Lucky. Born the same day as Rance.”
“What… what happened?”
“She… your mother wasn’t strong. It was… too much.”
His breath hitched and his jaw flexed as he looked past Desiree into a distant past. “Was she… did anybody….”
“She had a proper burial. And a stone.”
His eyes closed and he managed a gruffthank you. His chest heaved and he refocused on Desiree. “Granny will be… that means a lot to us. To me.”
