Rachel leaned back, feeling silly for having worried about Grandma Tate noticing the state of the couch. As she watched Paige shove paper after paper in front of the iPad, she wondered how much longer shed be sleeping on the couch. On the night shed come back from Roanoke, shed been fully prepared for Peter to demand she head out for a hotel. Instead, hed offered to sleep in the couch, but shed insisted on taking it.

Since then, theyd spoken maybe three sentences to one another. And the unspoken understanding so far was that she was fine to stay here for a while until they figured out some way to tell Paige everythingthe looming separation as well as her health diagnosisbut shed be sleeping on the couch.

It took about three minutes for Paige to get through her art show, the final piece titled Monkey Rides Lion, according to Paige. Rachel couldnt help but smile at the interaction between the two of them. It was also hard to believe just how vibrant Grandma Tate seemed. It was hard to believe she was living with a cancer that would likely take her out pretty swiftly.

Youre looking good, Grandma, she said.

Well, thank you. Its been a long evening, though, Ill tell you that.

How so? Is everything okay?

Paige, apparently sensing adult-talk coming on, got down from the couch and went off in search of other things to show off.

Yeah. I dont know if you remember Deborah Wilkes…an old friend of mine that used to be very close to the family?

The name rings a bell, sure.

Well, as you may or may not know, we had a falling out about twenty years ago, right around the holidays. It got pretty nasty, and we havent spoken since. It never really sat right with me, you know? And with things going the way they are…, She stopped here, shrugged and finished, I called her up today. After almost twenty years. It was tense and it was weird, but Im so very glad I did it.

Did you…did you tell her your news?

No. Between you and me…yes, I called her because my days are numbered, and I dont want to leave any old, wilted relationships to die in a negative light. But I couldnt very well tell her that, right? It would seem sort of selfish. I just…well, Im becoming very aware that I dont want to leave anything unsaid. And just so you know, that may involve a call to your father.

It wasnt even his name, but the mention of her father stung her heart. But it also raised an issue that she hadnt even considered in years.

My father? she said. She looked up to see if Paige was still there, but she was currently in the hallway, likely headed to the stairs to find something in her room to show Grandma Tate. You know how to reach him?