“I’ll get it.” Sean picked it up and wiped the screen. “It looks okay.”
With an unsteady hand, she took the phone from him. “You gave me a fright. I thought you would be dancing the night away with your mom.”
“She’s helping to cut the cake so Ashley can offer it to the guests. Amy said Mary’s grandmother called?”
Becky nodded. “I have no idea what she wants. The last time she was here, I told her to speak to my lawyer and not me.”
Sean sat beside her. “It makes sense she wouldn’t listen.”
“I suppose it does.” Becky looked down at the phone. “I’m not sure I want to know what she said.”
Sean wrapped his arm around her. “You don’t have to listen to it.”
Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes. “Regardless of the message, I’m worried about Edith. Jamie said his mom’s mood swings could be unpredictable, but I never expected it to be so bad. She needs help.”
“Does she have any other family?”
“Jamie once told me she had a sister, but I don’t know what’s happened to her.”
“Talk to your lawyer. If he thinks it’s a good idea to find another family member to reach out to, do that. Otherwise, there isn’t a lot you can do.”
“Apart from listen to the message.” Becky still wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but she went into her voicemail and replayed the call.
After the first few words, she knew something was desperately wrong. Edith’s message was garbled and incoherent. In between a stream of slurred words, she talked about Jamie and how she felt betrayed when he married Sophia. Becky had no idea why she was telling her any of this.
More slurred words gave way to tears and bouts of confusion. By the end of the message, Becky was even more worried about her.
“She needs help, Sean. Would you like to listen to the message?”
He nodded and Becky handed him the phone.
During the recording, he sat as still as a stone. It wasn’t until the end, when Edith’s tears turned to anger, that he looked truly concerned. “In different circumstances, I’d suggest calling Edith. But, considering what she’s doing, I’d definitely call Adam. He can contact her lawyers. There might be something they can do.”
“It’s after nine o’clock.”
“He won’t mind.”
Becky dialed his number and waited for him to answer.
Edith was still struggling with the loss of her son and, possibly, other things as well. Hopefully, she wouldn’t do anything foolish before someone could help her.
Sean stayedat Sally and Todd’s barn long after their guests had gone home. With help from his brothers, they stacked the tables and chairs on one side of the barn. The tablecloths, lanterns, and other decorations were packed into boxes, and the flowers he was taking into Happy Petals were in a trailer.
The only things left to remove were the fairy lights and garlands strung around the rafters—and the three chandeliers Becky loved.
“You did an amazing job to pull everything together,” Nathan told him as they carried another table toward the wall.
“Becky was incredible. Her color-coded spreadsheet was as impressive as the scrapbook.”
“It sounds like you could be a perfect match.”
“I hope so.” Sean was glad the only response from his brother was a raised eyebrow. Mary’s grandmother’s message had rattled him more than Becky realized. Edith had sounded as though she was either drunk or on drugs. Either way, he was worried about what she’d do next.
“Did Becky get home okay?”
Sean picked up a basket of peony roses and left them beside the barn door. “She did. Mary slept the whole way.”
“That’s good. It’s been a long day for them.”
