Holly felt a surge of frustration. She was tired of hiding, tired of pretending. “Yes, Mom, in one bed,” she said firmly. “I’m an adult, and I can make my own decisions.”
Her father shifted uncomfortably in his chair but remained silent. Her mother looked like she was about to say something then thought better of it.
“Look,” Holly said, “I know this isn’t what you expected to find. But I want you to know that I didn’t plan any of this. All I wanted was to come home, to see you both. I was hoping we could start with a clean slate, with open communication.” She paused, looking from her mother to her father. “I was hoping for some form of acceptance from you. No, I didn’t plan to meet Mack or to share a room with her. She wanted to be with her family as much as I wanted to be with you. But at the same time…meeting her has been a blessing. We’ve had a wonderful time together.”
The room fell silent for a moment. Holly’s heart pounded as she waited for her parents’ reaction. It was her mother who moved first. She stood up, tears glistening in her eyes, and crossed the small space to sit beside Holly on the bed.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she whispered. “I want to start over too. I’ve missed you so much.” She wrapped her arm around Holly’s shoulders, pulling her close.
Holly leaned into her mother’s embrace, allowing herself to hope that maybe, just maybe, things could get better.
Their moment was interrupted by a knock at the door before Mack let herself in. Her arms were laden with a tray of coffees and a paper bag that smelled tantalizingly of cinnamon and apples.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, her eyes darting nervously between Holly and her parents. “I thought you might all like some coffee and pie.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Holly’s mother said, rising from the bed. “You must be Mack.”
Mack set the tray and bag on the table. “It’s nice to meet you both,” she said, offering a tentative smile. “I wasn’t sure how you took your coffee, so there’s sugar on the side.” Her phone rang, and Holly watched as Mack’s face went pale, her eyes widening as she listened to the person on the other end. “Okay, I’ll try to get there as quickly as I can.” The call was brief, and when Mack hung up, she looked shell-shocked.
“Mack?” Holly asked. “What is it? Are you okay?”
Mack blinked, as if coming out of a trance. “That was my mom,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sarah’s gone into labor.”
“Sarah?” Holly’s mother asked, looking between them.
“My sister,” Mack explained, her words tumbling out in a rush. “She’s pregnant—well, obviously. My parents didn’t want to let me know until they were sure. Apparently, there have beenthree false alarms in the past few days, but…it’s really happening now, and—oh my God, I need to pack and get to the bus station. Unless the airport has reopened. Do you know anything about that?”
“We’ll drive you. It would be quicker,” Holly’s father suggested. We’re going the same way, and it could take hours before the first flight or bus leaves.”
Holly’s mother nodded in agreement. “Of course. Please let us take you.”
Mack looked stunned. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose…”
“Nonsense,” Holly’s mother said firmly. “It’s Christmas, and family is important. We’ll get you to the hospital.”
Holly felt a surge of affection for her parents in that moment. Despite their discomfort and the unexpected situation they’d found themselves in, they were reaching out to help a stranger.
“Thank you,” Mack said, her voice thick with emotion. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me.” As she began to gather her things, Holly packed her own bag. They moved around each other with a familiarity that belied the short time they’d known each other, and Holly couldn’t help but wonder what might have been if circumstances were different.
“I’ll just run down to the front desk to check you out,” Holly’s father said, excusing himself.
Holly zipped her bag closed and stopped him. “No, I’ll go. I want to thank the motel owner. Maude’s been wonderful, and it wouldn’t feel right to leave without saying goodbye.”
Chapter 17
Mack
The steady hum of tires on asphalt had become a soothing white noise over the past three hours. Mack sat in the back seat of the Petersons’ silver Volvo V90 station wagon, a car that seemed to embody everything she’d imagined about Holly’s parents. The leather seats were pristine, not a crumb or stray hair in sight, and the new-car smell still lingered faintly in the air.
Her leg bounced nervously as she stared out the window, watching the snowy landscape rush by. The highway stretched out before them, a ribbon of gray cutting through the white expanse. Occasional clusters of evergreens, their branches heavy with snow, broke up the monotony of the view.
She glanced at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time, willing it to vibrate with another update from her mother. The last message had come through about twenty minutes ago:Sarah’s doing great. Contractions are getting closer together.
Mack’s stomach churned with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. She was going to be an aunt. The reality of it was finally sinking in, along with the growing fear that she might miss the birth despite their best efforts.
“So, Mack,” Holly’s mother’s voice cut through her thoughts as she turned around in the passenger seat once again. “You mentioned earlier that you work in software engineering. What exactly does that entail?”
Mack blinked, pulling her attention away from the window. “Oh, well, I work on developing AI-driven applications. My current project is a personal assistant app that uses machine learning to anticipate users’ needs.”
