Page 28 of Dancing With Redemption

“I’d love to,” Marie said with relief. The private conversation hadn’t lasted long, but it was long enough for both women to know that they wanted to meet up again. “It’s nice to know I have some family of my own left. Matteo’s family is large, and I love most of them dearly, but…they aren’t my family.”

“I know what you mean. I’ve been on my own for over ten years now. It’s nice to know I’m not alone anymore. Maybe you and your husband can come down to visit us in Myrtle Beach later this year.” Roxie stood up, paused, and then spoke again. “Or we can come to you.”

“Maybe both? That would be nice.” Marie smiled happily and Roxie went to get her daughter and June. When she came back into the room, Marie was still on the couch, looking relaxed and happy.

“Marie, this is my daughter, Lily, and her aunt, June. Say hello, Lily.” Roxie held Lily, suddenly shy, by the shoulders, but her hands moved up to trace down her daughter’s hair. Lily looked up at her mother before she turned back to look at Marie.

“Hello. I’m Lily. It’s nice to meet you,” Roxie heard Lily say, her voice soft and gentle.

“Hi, Lily. I’m Marie. I’m your third cousin.” Marie smiled at the girl, her eyes steady and calm. This seemed to reassure Lily and Roxie felt her daughter move. Lily pulled away to walk up to Marie, her eyes curious, her head tilted to the side.

“What’s a third cousin? Who are my other two?” Lily asked and Roxie had to stifle a laugh. She didn’t want to embarrass the girl, so she just smiled and went to sit in a chair to the side of the couch.

“No, honey, that’s not what it means,” Marie said with patience and kindness. Roxie appreciated the way Marie spoke to her daughter. “It means that your mom and I are second cousins. Let me explain it like this, June is your aunt, right?”

Roxie watched as Lily nodded, wondering if the child would understand the simple, yet overly complex way of noting relations.

“Well, if your aunt had a baby, that baby would be your cousin. And when you grow up, if you and your cousin have children then those children would be second cousins. That’s what your mom and I are. So, you and I are third cousins.” Marie looked uncertain, thought about it for a moment, and seemed to decide that was right.

“I think that’s right, Marie. It should be simple, but it’s kind of complicated without a pen and a piece of paper.” Roxie laughed gently and looked over at June. “Can you add anything to that?”

“No, believe me. I get confused with it all, still, and it’s been explained to me dozens of times. Especially when you add in that ‘once removed’ and ‘twice removed’ nonsense.” June rolled dark brown eyes and looked at Marie. “It’s nice to meet you, by the way.”

“And you.” Marie blushed and looked down at her lap, clearly a shy woman who was trying her best to not embarrass herself.

“I’m still not sure what all of that means, but I guess it means we’re related, right?” Lily asked, and Roxie could see she wanted to be friends with the woman. That was good. “Like my dad’s mom is Aunt June’s mom, but she isn’t my Uncle Liam’s mom. And Papa George isn’t my real grandfather, but he’d be Aunt June and Uncle Liam’s babies’ grandfather?”

“A bit like that, honey,” Roxie said, smiling a wobbly smile as she thought about the complications that came with broken relationships. Lily would get used to the confusion and come to accept her family as it was. Roxie knew that, but still, she knew if her relationship didn’t work out with Lincoln, the map of Lily’s relations could become even more complicated. A new baby would complicate all of that more, but there was nothing Roxie could do about that. She wanted this baby as much as she’d wanted Lily.

“I’ll figure it all,” Lily said with a laugh and reached out to touch Marie’s long black hair. “I love how shiny your hair is. It looks so soft.”

And just like that, all of the women in the room finally relaxed, even if Roxie felt a twinge of regret that her own hair had been shorn with such brutal force. Hair would regrow and hopefully, as her hair grew, so would her relationship with this new cousin.