“Mother?” Essie croaked.
Suzette turned the camera back toward herself. “Right here, baby girl.”
“What is going on?” Essie hissed. “And since when?” Her shoulders had risen almost to her ears, indignation sharpening every line of her face. “That’s the man you’ve crushed on your whole life!”
“Justin arrived … five days ago.”
“Five days? And now — now — Mom!” Her voice cracked.
“Essie,” Max murmured, laying a calming hand on her shoulder.
Essie jerked away. “Don’t Essie me! This is huge! This is — this is wrong!” Her gaze snapped back to Suzette. “Mother?”
Suzette drew a steady breath. Her heart hurt at the panic in her daughter’s eyes, but beneath it lay a new, fragile certainty — one Justin had helped her finally claim.
“There is nothing wrong with my feelings for Justin,” she said softly. “And yes, I’ve crushed onJK Kenzieall my life … but I fell in love withJustin McKenzie. And it’s been more than five days. We spent a night together. After your wedding.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Suzette winced. She hadn’t meant to reveal that. Not like this.
Essie gaped. “Spent the night? As inspent the night?” Her voice shot upward. “Mom! On mywedding night?”
Max slipped an arm around her again. “Es, breathe. You’re going nuclear.”
“OfcourseI’m going nuclear! It’s mymomand” — she flung a hand across her eyes — “and youruncle!”
“Esther. I’m happy.”
Essie froze.
Suzette held the screen steady, letting her daughter take in her face — the glow, the softness, the certainty she hadn’t felt in years. “Really, truly happy.”
Essie’s eyes glossed over, the fury leaking out and leaving something much more fragile behind. “You … are you sure?”
“I am,” Suzette said. “And I’m old enough to know my own mind. Old enough to choose what’s good for me. And sweet girl … all I want is for you to be happy for me.”
Essie looked away, blinking rapidly. Max pressed a kiss to her temple, murmuring, “He’s a good man, angelheart. You know that. And your mom deserves happiness.”
A long silence stretched, thick and taut.
Finally, Essie let out an enormous sigh. “Fine,” she muttered. “Fiiiiine. If you’re happy … then …” Her face softened, reluctantbut real. “Then I’ll be happy for you. Eventually. Maybe. Probably.”
Suzette laughed, relief loosening something deep in her chest. “I’ll take it.”
She tipped her head against Justin’s shoulder, angling the phone so both of them were in frame. Justin pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
Essie recoiled with a full-body shudder. “Okay,nope. That’s just … weird.”
Justin chuckled. “I promise on my life to look after your mom, Esther. To protect her, honor her, and cherish her.”
Essie blinked, unimpressed. “You better.” Her eyes narrowed. “Because I’m a doctor, and I know ways to end you. Hippocratic oath or not.”
“Understood,” Justin said gravely.
They chatted for a few more minutes, trading updates, until an unhappy wail sounded in the background. Essie and Max both jolted to attention, the telltale cry of a teething baby pulling them away.
“Go,” Suzette said with a smile. “Tend to your tiny tyrant.”
After quick goodbyes, the call ended.
