Kate’s eyes twinkled. “Really? Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. Damn, it didn’t work.”

“Ha-ha,” Maggie said, using a wet paper towel to wipe the ice cream off her face.

“I see some things never change,” Clare said, delighted by her girls.

“Mom’s coming home the week after next,” Maggie told her sister.

“That’s great! I’m glad you’ll be home for a while before I leave.”

Clare nodded. “Me, too.” She didn’t like to think about Kate’s impending departure for Nashville. Jack had made that decision before her recovery, and he had convinced Clare to give it a try for a year. He had promised her he would see to all the details, including making sure Kate had a safe place to live. Clare was glad she had a couple of months yet before she had to deal with that.

“Sorry, Mom, but we’ve got to go,” Kate said with a kiss to her mother’s cheek. “I’m working tomorrow, so I need to hit the sack.” She had been playing the guitar and singing at the Infinity Newport Hotel’s outdoor bars all summer.

“That’s okay. I’m glad to see you, even just for a minute.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Maggie promised, kissing her mother good night.

“I’ll look forward to it.” Clare waved as the door closed behind them. Watching them go, she was hit by a sense of panic, wondering if they felt closer now to their stepmother than they did to her, wondering if she’d ever get back the close bond she’d shared with each of her daughters.

Chapter 3

November 22

Today is Thanksgiving, and my goal is to help the girls remember all the many blessings of their lives, despite their loss. Mother, Dad, Jamie, and his parents are coming for dinner, and I hope having them here will help Jack. I feel Clare’s absence so acutely today. The holidays were her favorite time of the year, and she always made them special for the rest of us. Just getting out of bed to face this day took effort for me. I can’t imagine how Jack and the girls must feel.

January 1

I don’t know when I’ve ever been so glad to say good-bye to a year! Jill and Kate were invited to a slumber party for New Year’s Eve, and I encouraged them to go. It’s good for them to spend time with their friends. After Maggie went to bed, Jack and I tied one on and watched the ball drop at Times Square. When I looked over at him at midnight, there were tears running down his face. His pain is so intense. Christmas was a horror show around here. They didn’t want a tree or decorations. I tried to cajole them, but Jack told me to let it go. No one was in the mood.