Maisey took the pile of paper from the table in front of them and started flipping through them. She returned a few to the pile on the left, dropping the rest into the garbage can at her side. “Just a rich sauce. I’m feeling better already.”

The house fell silent for a moment, only the soft noises of her mom going through the old receipts and bills. The gentle ticking of the ancient family cuckoo clock in the living room—a sound that had been a part of all her growing-up years.

For a second she imaged it as a stopwatch, an eerie hourglass ticking down the moments of her mother’s life.

The pain inside grew too large to contain, and she carefully came to her mother’s side. Knelt by her chair and wrapped her arms around Maisey and held on tight.

Her mom stiffened slightly, then sighed and returned the embrace. “You’re a little old for crawling into my lap now, aren’t you?”

Allison didn’t speak. Couldn’t speak. Her throat had closed up at the realization these moments were fading. At some point she’d reach out to hug her mother and the woman would be gone forever.

“I love you, Mom.” Cracking, barely understandable.

“Oh, sweetie.” Maisey sniffed and squeezed even harder. “You going to be okay?”

“No.” Allison pulled back so she could look at her mom directly in the eye. “Mom, I know.”

“Know what?”

Allison gestured, even though her flailing probably made no sense. Nothing more than a whirl of her hands, but holding back the motion was impossible. “About you. About what’s wrong.”

Maisey’s face tightened, her lips pressed together. She blinked hard and then nodded once. A sharp, sudden jerk. “I wondered if you did.”

Allison held her peace about how she’d found out. If her mom asked, she’d consider telling, but who spilt the beans was less important than everything else right now. “I’m here for you, okay?”

Maisey stared out the window. “I didn’t want you to have to worry. Do Paul and Elle know as well?”

“Not yet, but you should tell them—”

“No,” Maisey blurted out. “Allison, no. And promise me you won’t tell them either. After everything that happened last time with your father, I don’t want to see them hurting because of me.”

“There’s nothing you can do?”

Maisey shook her head. “Nothing. It’s cancer, sweetie. Pancreatic. And taking experimental drugs in the hopes of prolonging my life just to make it to Christmas? I can’t—” Her voice broke, and she sucked back a gasp. “I can’t watch you all go through that again. It’s better if it’s quick.”

Listening to her mom list all the reasons Allison had thought of was confirmation, but it also gave her the chance to add her plea. “We’re not children anymore, Mom. Telling them is the right thing to do. Give them time to say goodbye.”

Maisey’s lips pressed together tight as she avoided Alison’s gaze.

Stubborn as always. Allison readied herself to argue some more. Maisey broke down crying, and suddenly she was neck deep in tears and having to be strong for her mom. It took a while before the torrent passed, both of them using the box of Kleenex at an alarming rate.

Maisey finally nodded. “I’ll think about it. Don’t say anything yet, will you?”

Allison hesitated before giving in. “But don’t wait too long. I’ll help you. We’ll all want to be here for you.”

Maisey clutched her hands. “In a way, I’m glad you know. And I’m ever so glad you have Gabe right now.”

And with that one comment, any chance she had of confessing that she and Gabe weren’t really a couple slipped away. It was terrible, and it was probably wrong, but Allison felt the same way. “Do you want anything? Can I get you anything?”

Maisey shook her head.

They both sat back, the clicking clock in the background now just the familiar noise that had been part of life forever. Maisey played with the papers a little, then straightened. “Well, enough moping. I want to get this cleaned up so we can enjoy some supper and then maybe we can just talk for a bit. If you don’t mind staying and visiting for a while?”

Allison squeezed her mom quickly, not trusting herself to give a full-out hug without breaking into tears. The she returned to the other side of the table and continued her part of the job.

“You want me to…” No better way than to just say it straight, now that the truth was out. “You want me to divvy up pictures between us kids? Or do you have things around the house you want given to friends? We don’t need to talk about it now, but you should think about it.”

Her mom nodded. “I will. Not that I really care who gets the hurricane lanterns, but I sure don’t want you kids throwing out something that’s actually valuable.”

“Oh, Mom.”

“Well, you remember Paul was snitching coins from your father’s coin collection to buy candy at the corner store.”

Allison groaned on her brother’s behalf. “He was ten years old. One mistake and you’re never going to let him forget it.”

Maisey moved the box in front of her to the side and started on the next one. “It was rather memorable because he was using real silver dollars. If Mrs. Fortney hadn’t told me, he would have gone through the entire set.”

They continued their task. Allison let her mom ramble about all kinds of things and words poured out—every topic under the sun. She listened and soaked it in. At the same time, a part of her wondered where Gabe was. When he’d get back, and how he would react to discovering Mom’s secret was out.

Would he stick with the plan or try to convince her the deception could be finished?

Worry prodded her uncomfortably.

She should have saved her concern. He pulled open the back door, the screen sticking slightly, and before anything could be said, Maisey was up and across the room, squeezing Gabe in a huge bear hug. Considering how frail she had become, the contrast in size between the huge cowboy and her mom was extreme.

Gabe hesitated for a second before bringing his hands around to pat Maisey’s back. His gaze snapped to Allison’s, questions in his eyes.

“I’m so glad you’re in my Allison’s life,” Maisey said. “It makes it easier knowing she’s not alone, and that she’s got a good man around to care for her when I’m gone.”

A flash of panic crossed Gabe’s face, then resignation. Allison’s heart tightened. Was he regretting this more now? The tumble outside earlier, and the lying in the first place?


What in the hell had happened?

He’d gone out to do some simple yard work, and the kitchen looked like there’d been a bomb dropped. Not just the paper and clutter scattered all over the table and floor, but the tear streaks still visible on both women’s faces.

Something had gone down, only he wasn’t one hundred percent sure what.

He moved cautiously, patting Maisey’s back gently. “You bet I’ll take care of Allison.”

Across the room, Allison nodded. “I told her I know. We’ve had a good cry, and we’re going to move forward now,” she shared.

Okay, that was what he needed to know. He acknowledged Allison and gave an extra moment of squeeze to Maisey before breaking her hold and leading her back to the chair she’d claimed earlier.

“I’m glad it’s not a secret anymore. So now I can tell you to make sure you call us anytime you need anything, understand? Night or day, we can come. Do you have my cell phone number?”

Maisey touched his arm gently. “You are a darling. And yes, Allison gave it to me, but I’ll be fine.”

The conversation continued as they cleaned up and worked together to bring out dinner. Spent the meal and the hours afterward talking about old memories. Gabe watched the two women as they moved easily around each other, their love and caring so clear.

For a moment he was jealous.

That someone was so willing to turn their life upside down for another. To sacrifice and suffer to try to ease the pain for another—it wasn’t that he’d never witnessed that in his life. His ma lived it daily. But the burden of it seemed less for Allison and her mom. As if they’d found a way to share the pain and hold it together. And that together the burden was lighter.

A part inside him hated Ben just a little bit more.

He and Allison were headed home before he realized they were returning to a whole different situation. Not the fact that Maisey’s secret was partway out, but the earlier tangle in the field.

It was a knot of dilemma.

Allison shifted position at his side. Rested her head on his shoulder. She slipped her hand under his arm and held on tight. “Thank you.”

Wasn’t what he expected. “For what?”

“For not spilling the beans. For sticking to our commitment. Not that I didn’t think you weren’t going to, but it’s a huge thing you’re doing, and I don’t want you to think I’m unappreciative.”

“You’re welcome.” He slowed to take the back route toward the cabin. The twisting road would take a little longer. Maybe by the time they got home he’d have figured out what to do.

Allison squeezed his arm again. “You were wonderful with my mom.”

“She’s a great lady. I’m sorry she’s going through this. Sorry you are as well.”

They fell silent, and Gabe tried to concentrate on the future. On which projects he had to get rolling immediately to meet the challenge his father had set.

All he could think about was the sensation of Allison’s fingers on his arm, and the heat of her body next to his.

“Oh look—” Allison pointed to the side. In the middle of the field three deer were feeding. One lifted its head as they approached, wary and alert. When they slowed but drove past, the animals didn’t move from where they were enjoying their dusk dinner of new summer’s grass.