Page 9

Hannah rolls onto her side, propping herself up with an elbow to face me. She looks at me, her light eyebrows furrowed. “Mom is the happiest I’ve seen her in years,” she says. “Since…you know.”

I do know, and I can’t dispute Hannah’s statement.

“Henry is Henry. But you have to pull it together. For Mom.”

I know she’s right, but I hate admitting it. I sigh, dragging my body upright, against all instincts I have toward self-preservation.

“Fine,” I tell her. “I will go back down there. I will smile, and laugh, and emanate warmth toward Mom and Kristine.”

Hannah smiles, victorious. She stands up and heads to the door with me.

“But I won’t, under any circumstances, engage with him for the rest of the trip. Okay? I can’t.”

“Understood.” Hannah nods, opening my bedroom door, and gesturing for me to lead the way.

Downstairs, the candles have died out. Henry barely looks up as we make our way down. He has made himself entirely too comfortable on the couch. He’s completely absorbed by something on his phone, typing away with such focus that I almost don’t notice the old photo album open on his lap.

He was there for all of the awkward moments, everything cheesy that my parents felt inclined to capture. I don’t know why in the world he’d want to relive it, but at least there’s nothing new he could blackmail me with or lord over me.

Henry only puts down his phone and closes the album when my mom claps her hands together upon seeing us.

“Oh good, there you girls are,” she says.

Kristine comes up and puts her arm around Mom. “We have news! Sara and I booked a cabin at Great Blue Lodge for the rest of the week. So pack your bags! We leave bright and early tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” I ask, hesitation ringing through that one word. “I have to stay for the reunion. It’s the only time I can see Frankie while I’m home. She made me promise.”

It’s true, and I desperately need to see my best friend, the only person who knows everything I’m juggling with this man who’s spread across my couch. Plus, the last thing I want to do is spend more time with him. I need a break. Or for him to be at a cabin hours and hours away, and me to be right here, not sharing any of his toxic air.

Mom and Kristine exchange a look. “You know,” Kristine begins slowly, “Henry has some business to tie up, and he was going to drive up a day late anyway.”

I can already see where this is heading and I hate it.

“Sweetie,” Kristine continues, turning to Henry, “you’ll drive Norah, right?” She smiles, eager.

I look everywhere in this room but Henry’s general direction. Absolutely not, I want to scream.

But I hear Hannah’s voice. For Mom.

Frankie would never forgive me if I didn’t see her.

And it’s only then that I hear his gruff response. “It would be my greatest displeasure.”

Well, at least that’s one thing we can agree on.

The first in nine years.

Chapter 5

The next morning, after much convincing on my part, far more than should be necessary when leaving your twenty-six-year-old adult daughter home alone, I finally got my mother to agree that I am, in fact, a grown woman who can handle one night as a townie.

“Don’t forget, the second night of Hanukkah is two prayers! Candles are in the freezer for you!” Mom says before kissing me goodbye.

“Breathe.” Hannah gives me a squeeze. “And don’t murder Henry. No one trusts you to drive to Great Blue Lodge yourself.”

I open my mouth to argue with her, but Hannah just taps my chin closed. “See you tomorrow.”

Not long after I finally have the house to myself, Frankie calls.