“Just the ramblings of a good old-fashioned drunken stupor, I’d guess.” Flynn started out of the room. “But, honey, I don’t think there’s a saint on the face of this earth. We’ve all sinned.”

“And come short of the glory of God,” Nessa quoted from scripture. “I wonder how April knew that Nanny Lucy sinned, and what it was.”

“She probably said damn or hell, or maybe took the Lord’s name in vain when she stuck herself with a needle.” Flynn chuckled. “Sounds like the worst of the storm has passed. See you later.”

Nessa stretched out on the bed and laced her hands behind her head. April muttered in her sleep, but the only two words Nessa could make out were mother and sin. How could the grandmother that Nessa had thought hung the moon make such a horrible mess of raising her own three kids and then her granddaughter?

The next morning, warm sunshine flowed through the window, the heat warming Nessa’s face and bringing her semi-awake, but what made her sit up was April moaning in her sleep. Nessa grabbed the trash can and held it up to the side of the bed.

April’s eyes popped wide open, and she shivered from her head all the way to her bare toes. “What am I doing in here? I told you I hate this room.” She grabbed her head and closed her eyes. “Dear God, my head is pounding.”

“I think maybe it should be ‘dear Jack Daniel’s,’ not ‘God.’” Nessa set the can back down. “Two questions. How long had that bottle been hidden down there, and what did you mean about Nanny Lucy sinning?”

“I can’t remember anything.” April put her pillow over her head. “Go away and let me die in peace.”

“There’s not an ounce of peace in your heart, so you might as well wake up and get past the hangover.” Nessa set about making up the trundle and pushing it back under the daybed.

Flynn threw open the door and brought in a banana. “One banana coming right up.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and took the pillow away from April’s head. “Sit up slowly and eat this. After that, you’ll go take a shower, and then come to the kitchen for a piece of bacon and a poached egg on toast. Then you can have a cup of coffee and two aspirin.”

“I’ll need that trash can if I eat a banana.” April turned over and faced the wall.