Forever's Promise

“Welcome back,” Shayla said, wiping dough from her fingers.

“It’s good to be back,” Leslie said. “I’ve missed you girls so much.” She planted loud kisses on each daughter’s cheek. “Did you two have fun with Auntie Shayla?”

Kristi nodded. “I went to the hospital.”

Leslie’s gaze flew to Shayla, her eyes wide with dismay. “What happened?”

Damn. She’d wanted to ease that bit of news into the conversation. She should have known Kristi would be eager to share her E.R. adventure with her mother.

“It turned out to be nothing,” Shayla said.

“What’s nothing?”

“Kristi ate the color that goes on the Easter eggs,” Cassidy supplied.

Shayla quickly filled her in on yesterday’s mishap.

“The E.R. visit was probably overboard, but I didn’t want to take any chances,” she tacked on.

After an awkwardly long silence that only ratcheted up Shayla’s anxiety, Leslie smoothed a hand over Kristi’s springy curls and said, “Well, I guess accidents happen.”

Shayla’s head snapped back in surprise. Of all the reactions that had swarmed through her head, that had not been one of them. She hadn’t expected Leslie to yell and scream—that just wasn’t in her sister-in-law’s quiet nature—but she’d anticipated more of a reprimand, or at least a dirty look.

“You girls go and get your things,” Leslie said. “It’s past your bedtime and there’s school tomorrow.”

Shayla waited until they were alone before saying, “I really am sorry, Les.”

“It’s okay. I know how hard it is. You can’t watch them every minute of every day.”

“But I had to watch them for only a few days. I swear, I thought I would die when I saw Kristi vomiting all over the place.”

“You should have been here when Cassidy got an ink pen cap stuck up her nose. Braylon needed more comforting than she did.” Leslie laughed, then she covered her mouth with her hand as if she’d done something wrong.

Shayla’s heart broke in two. “Oh, Leslie. There’s nothing wrong with talking about him.”

She took a step forward, intending to what? Hug her? Place a comforting hand on her shoulder?

It didn’t matter, because Leslie backed away, moving to the counter where Shayla had stacked the DVDs, board games, and crayons and coloring books Leslie had provided before she’d left for Houston.

Tension suffused the air, the brief gaiety of a few moments ago obliterated by the mention of her brother’s name.

If only she could figure out a way to get them all past their grief.

She was still learning her way when it came to her family, never sure how her gestures would be received. The truth of the matter was, she just didn’t know them. And it was entirely her fault.

She’d received invitations to holiday gatherings, the girls’ christenings, but she’d always had an excuse not to take that long flight back to Louisiana. Four times in nineteen years, that’s how many times she’d returned home. She’d figured she’d have time for family later, once her brother was done with the army and his girls were older. Once she’d accomplished all those career goals that had come to rule her life.

Braylon’s death had changed everything. It brought the importance of family into stark relief. Now that her brother was gone, Leslie and the girls were the only family she had left. She would figure out a way to connect with them. She refused to accept any other outcome.

The girls came running back into the kitchen carrying their overnight bags.

“Mommy, did you bring us back a present?” Kristi asked.

“Possibly,” Leslie said. “You’ll have to wait until we get home to find out.”

“Do you need help getting them into the car?” Shayla asked.

“I think we’re good. We’re good, aren’t we, girls?”

They both nodded.

Shayla followed them out to the car, anyway. Kristi kissed her on the cheek, but Cassidy only gave her a small wave before slipping into the backseat. Shayla continued to wave goodbye as Leslie backed the car out of the driveway. A minute later, Paxton’s black Mazda hatchback pulled in.

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