If She Only Knew by Lisa Jackson Read Free Book Online

seaworthy as a sieve.”
    â€œBut he is coming,” Eugenia said, returning to the point.
    So her mother-in-law was in the room, too.
    â€œHe said he was, but who knows? He’s not exactly dependable.”
    â€œYou were at his place?”
    â€œI stopped by, but he wasn’t at the cabin. I tracked him down at what I would loosely call a marina.” Again the mirthless chuckle.
    â€œWhy do you want him here?” Cissy asked, and Marla realized for the first time that her daughter was also in the room. “Y’know, if you hate him so much?”
    â€œI don’t hate him, honey. I just don’t . . . approve.”
    â€œJeez, Dad, why do you care what he does as long as he’s not bothering you?”
    Good question, Marla thought, and felt herself drifting away again, the deep, comforting sleep that was so seductive pulling her under again, but no one responded and she felt a tension in the silence.
    â€œWhy won’t anyone talk about him?” Cissy finally demanded. “Y’ know sometimes it’s like his name is a four letter word or something.”
    â€œIt is,” Alex said.
    â€œSo is yours,” the girl said just loud enough to be heard.
    â€œThere’s no reason to argue about it.” Eugenia sucked in a soft breath. “Brothers don’t always get along.”
    â€œLike with Grandpa and his brother?”
    â€œFenton, yes,” Eugenia said stiffly. “And his children. Cherise and Montgomery, oh, I think he goes by Monty or something like that these days.”
    â€œWhy aren’t they part of the family anymore?”
    â€œThey don’t want to be.”
    There was a snort of disbelief and Cissy said, “Uncle Monty called the other day. For Dad.”
    â€œI talked to him,” Alex said with a trace of irritation that Marla didn’t understand. But then there was so much that was beyond her comprehension, beyond her memory . . . she tried to move, to let them know that she could hear, but felt herself drifting away again.
    â€œOkay, so what about Nick?”
    Nick was the one they were discussing . . . the brother who hadn’t finished college or high school or something . . . there was something she should recall about him, but her head was so thick . . . oh Lord, what was it?
    â€œDoesn’t Uncle Nick want to be in the family?” Cissy pressed, refusing to be put off, her voice beginning to sound far away.
    Eugenia said, “Oh, honey, you wouldn’t understand.”
    â€œTry me.”
    A pause. Marla imagined Eugenia and Alex trading looks, wondering how much of the family’s sordid past they could spill. “All right, Cissy,” the older woman said quietly, “since you asked. In times of family crises, like this one with your mother, it just seems right for everyone to stick together and kind of circle the wagons, show signs of family unity.”
    â€œCircle the wagons against who?”
    â€œWhom,” her grandmother corrected. “Don’t they teach you basic English at that school?”
    â€œOkay, whom,” the girl repeated. “So who are they—the bad guys? This doesn’t make any sense. I just want Mom to wake up and be the same, okay? And . . . and I want her to look the same.” Her voice rose an octave. “Look at her, I mean, she doesn’t even look like herself.” Cissy sniffed loudly, then cleared her throat and Marla’s heart skipped a beat. If only she could say something to comfort her daughter, but she was so tired . . . “Nana, it’s like . . . it’s like you and Dad, you’re both afraid of something or someone. I just don’t get it.”
    Alex stepped in. “We’re just worried about Mom, honey. That’s all. But she’s going to be all right. I’ve talked to Dr. Robertson, we just have to be patient. And there aren’t any bad guys,” Alex added, his voice surprisingly soft.