He’d just let me go. No promises. Nothing. He’d just let it end. That quickly. My chest ached, and I felt guilty it was over a guy. My grandfather was suffering. I should be more concerned about him.
“How is he?” I asked as I hugged her.
She squeezed me. “He’s sad. Mom has been gone for a long time. The woman he knew. But now even the little that he had of her is gone. It’s going to be tough on him.”
“Was she sick?”
“No. Her heart just stopped. With the damage her brain had endured, the doctor says it’s a miracle she lived as long as she did. But Daddy made sure she had the best care. And he was always here. I think she lived for him.”
Their story was so tragic. When I stepped back, I looked at her. “How upset is Dad?”
“About Cruz?”
I nodded.
“He’s not happy,” she said with a small shrug. “But you’re a grown woman. What can he do? It was your decision to make.”
I agreed, but I didn’t think Daddy would agree.
“He won’t bring it up in there. For now, this is about Kiro and Emily.”
“Who all is here?”
“Right now, it’s just Dean and us. Nan, Cope, Mase, Reese, Rush and Blaire are all on their way.”
Mom looked at the backpack on my shoulder. “What happened to your luggage?”
“I left it all at Nate’s.”
She sighed. “To run off on Cruz Kerrington’s bike.”
“Yes.”
She didn’t say more. I hadn’t even been gone a week, and everything that had happened made it seem like it had been so much longer.
“Can I say one thing?” Mom asked.