Chapter 19

“I brought you some ice cream for breakfast—it’s rocky road, your favorite.”

“And coffee. Fresh coffee. With a little brandy in it. Okay, it’s all brandy, but it’s the good kind, so sip slowly.”

“What about a hot pad? You always used to like a hot pad when you weren’t feeling well.”

Sophie kicked off the blankets that had been solicitously wrapped around her and took the mug of brandy from Dawn. Downing it in one quick gulp, she glared at the relatives hovering over the couch as though she’d rung death’s doorbell and was merely waiting for someone to answer.

“Knock it off, you guys.” The kick of the alcohol hit her in a fiery wave. She welcomed the burn both in her stomach and in her resolve—she could use it right about now. “I’m not going into a decline. I broke up with a guy. There’s a big difference.”

She didn’t miss the look that passed between her two sisters.

“Is it really breaking up if you were never formally dating? I mean—”

“Lila, so help me, if you take it upon yourself to analyze my relationship with Harrison right now, I’m going to turn this bowl of chocolate ice cream over onto your pristine white couch. And I’m not going to clean it up afterward. In fact, I’m going to stand watch over it while it dries.”

Dawn chuckled at this outburst. So did Lila, though she was careful to pick up the ice cream and put it well out of Sophie’s reach.

Her mother, unfortunately, wasn’t so easily put off. She placed a warm hand on Sophie’s forehead and peered anxiously down into her eyes. “I still don’t understand what happened. Did he yell at you?”

“No.”

“Did he say all those terrible words like the ones Paulette heard?”

“I wish.”

“Did you argue about something?”

“We argued about lots of things. That’s the whole point of Harrison.” She glanced at the clock sitting on the mantelpiece. “Oh, geez. Is it eight o’clock already? I still need to shower and change before I head over to the DNR office for the air force training.”

All three women stared at her as though she’d spoken a foreign language.

“That clock isn’t wrong, is it?” She cast a worried look at her watch, but it showed the same time. “Okay, phew. I should have just enough time if I hurry.”

“Uh, Soph?”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Darling, are you sure you don’t want a few minutes with the heating pad first?”

“What’s wrong?” Sophie asked. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?”

The women shared another one of those worrisome looks before Dawn stepped forward. “You’re going to Deer Park? Now?”