I let my head fall onto the blanket as I groan. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
MATTHEW
“Why don’t you eat something?” I lift the bowl and take a sniff of the soup the nurses had prepared. “This smells really good.”
Mom shakes her head. “I’m not really hungry.”
“You have to eat something,” I insist gently. “Just a few bites?”
The nurses said she hasn’t been eating much, and I can clearly see they’re right. Her skin is awfully ashy, and her body seems even more frail than the last time I was here.
She shakes her head again firmly, pushing away my hand. “Not now.”
Now this is something I remember well from before I left. The stubbornness that usually accompanied one of her episodes. And when she gets this way, there was no getting through to her.
Still, I open my mouth to try again, but before I can say anything, there’s a soft rap against the door. “Knock, knock.”
Mom looks up, her face softening when she sees Becky enter, her hand holding on to a wobbling Jackson. “We’re here.”
“Look at him! So precious,” Mom coos as Jackson walks toward her bed. Sighing, I place the bowl on the side table for the moment.
“Took us a hot minute, but he’s determined to walk on his own, and I have no heart to rush him.” Becky chuckles as Jackson flashes Mom a wicked grin.
“And we brought company too,” Becky announces just as my brother, Kyle, and Shadow fill the doorway. “We found them outside.”
“Hey, Ma,” Chase says.
Mom smiles a little bit as she looks at us. “All my babies in one place.”
“Who would have thought, right?” Becky chuckles softly as she lifts Jax and places him on the bed. He immediately turns around and starts crawling toward Mom.
Mom hums softly as Jackson sits down on her lap and giggles. “Oh, I knew y’all would find your way home. This place… it’s in our blood. That’s why I never could force myself to leave even after your father was gone.” She gently takes Jax’s hands in hers and lifts them in the air. “Our memories are here. The good ones and the bad ones. Our family. Our home.”
A knot forms in my throat at her words. The collar of my shirt seems to squeeze tightly around my neck, making it hard to breathe, like it always does when the memories of the past resurface.
“Now, just to get the last of you settled in.” Mom gives me a pointed look.
“Oh, I think he’s pretty settled in.” Becky smirks at me. “He’s been seeing Jessica.”
Shit.
“Jessica?” Mom glances between the two of us. “My Jessica?”
“The one and only.” Becky nods, picking up Jax so he doesn’t try to climb all over our mother, and holds him against her hip.“I actually think it’ll be good for him. Right, Jax? Maybe Uncle Matthew has finally come to his senses.”
“I thought you didn’t like it,” Chase grumbles from his spot where he’s leaning against the door. Kyle’s petting Shadow and watching our exchange with furrowed brows.
“I was surprised!” Becky protests. “But after I thought about it for a moment, I realized they could actually be pretty good for each other.”
Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair. “We’ve only been on a few dates.”
Becky smirks. “Trust me, everybody knows about y’all’s dates.”
“Dad and I are taking my mom on a date too!” Kyle announces proudly, and Becky has to bite back a laugh.
“Matthew!”
