Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sarah walked into the kitchen loaded down with groceries. The boys headed upstairs, grumpy they didn’t get to go back to Luke’s this afternoon because she had to work.

Margaret walked into the kitchen, her face drawn in worry lines. “You’re back.”

Sarah tucked the vegetables and meat into the refrigerator. “I picked up some of that vanilla bean ice cream you like.” As peace offerings went, ice cream was a good one in her mind.

“Thank you.”

Sarah turned to face Margaret, surprised by the lack of hostility and taken aback by the gratitude. “You’re welcome. You should sit down. Rest.”

Margaret’s whole body slumped with fatigue. “I admit, my arthritis and our earlier . . . reckoning kind of took everything out of me.”

“I hoped to find an easier way for us to . . . leave the past behind.”

“I’m still trying to not feel the way I’ve felt about you and reconcile who I thought Sean was with the man you describe.”

“Take your time. I know it was a lot to take in. I’m sure you’ll have questions. In the meantime, know that I’m not here for any other reason than to build a relationship between you and the boys.”

“I appreciate that. And I should have told you how happy it made me that you brought them.”

“I’ve loved watching them with you, and you with them.”

“I spend a lot of time with Sophia. I feel like I really know her. Now, I feel as if I know the boys, too.”

“That’s all I want for them and you. And to show my goodwill, I took care of a couple of things for you. On the way to the store, I called the gardening service I used when I arrived. They’ll be by tomorrow to do the yard, then routine cleaning once a week. I also found a reputable housekeeping service. They’ll be here every other Wednesday.”

“Why? After the way I’ve treated you, why are you helping me?”

“Because you didn’t know. Because you loved Sean and grieved him the way I couldn’t but a mother should.”

Sarah sighed with that difficult admission, letting her battered heart settle after letting go of that hard truth. “Because now that you know, I hope we can be the family Jack and Nick deserve.” Holding on to the secrets had become a burden. Without them hanging over her head, she felt lighter. Her heart didn’t feel so heavy.

Except she hadn’t told Margaret everything. “There’s still more to tell about Sean.”

Margaret held Sarah’s forearm. “I think I’ve heard all I can take for one day.” Margaret squeezed her arm, released her, and took a seat at the breakfast table. “It’s hard to hear that my son turned into my ex-husband. And I became the dreadful mother-in-law, blaming you for all of Sean’s unhappiness. I know better than anyone it takes two people to hold a marriage together. One can’t do it alone. And only hearing one side of the story means you don’t know the whole truth.”