It was then I watched Brock plant a hand on his sister’s chest. Cob wrapped his arm around his daughter’s waist and pulled back. Olivia lifted both her extraordinary hands to her face and melted into beautiful woman tears, which every woman on the face of the earth knew held magical powers over any man who was breathing as long as that man wasn’t blind.

Oh man.

“I’m just going to, uh… start to clear the dishes,” I heard Lenore whisper.

Fritz muttered, “Good idea, Lenore. Elvira? Tess, honey, why don’t you two help? I’m gonna go on outside.”

And outside words were being exchanged while Brock was leading a still-sobbing Olivia down the walkway with a hand at the small of her back and I decided Lenore’s idea was an excellent one.

So I nodded, got up, and started to help her as Fritz headed out.

“I got your back, sister. I’ll keep an eye out,” Elvira told me but I didn’t answer. I started loading my hands with plates.

After trip two, when I was in the kitchen, I heard the reentry of the Lucas Brigade and this included Jill’s “I do not, do not, do not believe that bitch.”

“Jill, sweetheart, shush,” Cob shushed her.

“She’s a piece of work!” This was Laura and it wasn’t shushed. It was loud.

“Laurie, quiet… Tess.” This was, surprisingly, Levi.

I waited several seconds and walked into the hall. They were all standing at the front door and all their eyes came to me.

“It’s okay,” I told them when I got nearer. “I’ve met her. It’s okay.”

I went back to the table and started clearing, but try as I might, I couldn’t keep my eyes from straying to the window. When I looked out I saw down the way that Brock and Olivia were standing by a silver Mercedes. Olivia was still sobbing but now she was doing it with her face planted in Brock’s chest and his arms were around her.

Damn.

Damn.

Elvira got close and I tore my eyes away from the window.

“Why don’t you take Ellie and watch the movie?”

“I’m okay,” I whispered.

“I think that’s a good idea.” Fern was now also close. “Just go on up. I’ll send Ellie up with the DVD.”

“Really, I’m fine,” I lied.

Fern looked at Elvira. I gathered plates and went to the kitchen.

The men disappeared and the women all hit clearing mode. When the tables were nearly empty and I was going back to gather napkins and bits and bobs, Brock came in.

His eyes came to me and I saw at once they were not angry, not impatient, but conflicted.

I’d seen him look conflicted before and it wasn’t a good memory.

“Hey,” I whispered as I moved to him.

“Hey,” he replied, distracted.

Oh man.