“And may Sally rest in peace.”

Madison’s head snapped up.

“Amen.”

All but Madison repeated the word.

Rita Mae stood and held the knife out for Madison to cut the turkey.

Madison took the knife but stared at her grandmother. “Did something happen to Aunt Sally?”

Grandmother Eileen took her napkin from the table and spread it across her lap. As if talking about the weather, she said, “She passed away last Saturday.”

Madison had placed the knife on the roasted meat to start carving it. Now she slipped and just cut of a small slice of crust. “W-what?”

“It was her heart. It simply…stopped.”

Speechless, Madison slumped back onto her chair.

She and Aunt Sally hadn’t seen each other often. Grandmother Eileen didn’t like to be reminded that she had come from a family of miners. And in contrast to her, Aunt Sally hadn’t married into money but had married the owner of an old-fashioned general store where she’d worked side by side with her husband until their retirement.

Sherry caressed Madison’s back.

Grandmother Eileen took a bowl of mashed potatoes. “Don’t pretend to be shocked. We knew she was sick.” Despite her matter-of-fact attitude, her voice was shaking.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” After her father’s funeral, it had been Aunt Sally who had held her, not Grandmother Eileen. Maybe she would have taken Madison in, but her husband had had health issues back then, so she had been forced to stay with her grandmother.

At least that’s what Aunt Sally had told her. But the truth was that if she really had been worried about Madison, she wouldn’t have just left her with the witch or at least would have called more often than once a year on Madison’s birthday.

“You know now.” Grandmother Eileen heaped some vegetables onto her plate before pointing to the meat. “Are you planning to carve the turkey, or shall your kitchen help do it?”

God, Grandmother Eileen was the living example of who she didn’t want to be. But in the emotional chaos one unwanted thought crept through: Maybe I am already like her.

“Thanks for coming,” Madison said.

Grandmother Eileen half-turned to Sherry. “Would you excuse us?”

What now? Did she finally want to talk about Aunt Sally?

“Of course.” Sherry gave Madison a peck on the cheek. “I’ll be in the living room.”

As soon as they were alone, Grandmother Eileen said, “On Monday, there’ll be a board meeting at Fielding Inc. and I have decided that you will accompany me.”

Madison’s jaw dropped. “Y-you want me to accompany you to the board meeting?”

“That’s what I said, didn’t I?” Her gaze drilled into her. “I’m giving you this one chance. Don’t ruin it as you have ruined everything else in your life.”

Ignoring the jibe, Madison nodded. “Thank you. You can count on me.”

“We’ll see.”