In the Silks by Lisa Wilde Read Free Book Online Page A

Sunday dinner.
    His mother and father were there, of course, and so was his sister Annie with her son, Louis.  Louis was seven and Henry adored him.  Also in attendance was his sister Julie, his brother Patrick and his wife Tara. She was who Henry was truly not looking forward to seeing, until he saw Jackie, that is. They didn’t appear to notice his entrance. It was a bit loud in the house, which was the norm. Henry made a beeline for his pop’s room first which was the front room of the house. It had been the living room when Henry was growing up, but ever since the stroke, they had moved his dad in there where they could fit the hospital bed and accessibility was easier. Patrick Sr. was in his bed; it was drawn up so that his father was in a sitting position.
    Henry walked over and kissed him on the top of the head.
    “Hey Pop! How are you feeling today?” Henry knew that he wouldn’t answer, but his father did make eye contact. Henry sat with him for a few minutes, talking sports and weather and work.
    “Henry! When did you sneak in here?” His sister Annie interrupted. “Daddy, are you trying to hog Henry? And here I thought I was your favorite child.” Annie sat on the edge of the hospital bed and leaned in to kiss their father on the temple.
    Henry was close with all of his siblings, but Annie more than the others. She knew things no one else knew about him. Not that he had told her all of his secrets, she had guessed most of them, not all though. She was one of those people. Her intuition and ability to read people were off the charts.
    After one more kiss to her father’s cheek, she leaned in Henry’s direction. “Let’s go chat for a minute outside.” She motioned with her eyes.
    Well that can’t be good.
    Henry nodded and stood patting his dad on the shoulder. “Be back in a bit, Pop.”
    Annie snaked an arm around Henry’s waist and practically dragged him back out the front door before anyone could stop them. Henry never looked toward the dining room, not wanting to make eye contact with any of them. Once they were down the front steps and around to the back, Annie let him go and turned to face him.
    “What’s up little brother? And why is that phony bitch sitting in our mother’s kitchen right now?”
    Henry shrugged. “Did she come with Tara or Julie?” Henry snickered, “Phony bitch?” raising an eyebrow, “That’s new.”
    “Nahh, it’s not. I don’t like her. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer. When she showed up here on her own, I might add; well, I knew something was up. Please tell me you dumped her ass, and this is her desperate attempt at forcing her way back into your good graces.”
    Like a book .
    “Well, you’re right, for the most part, I think. I mean yeah, we had a falling out yesterday, and I guess I just couldn’t do it anymore. I said I would call her, not to call me.”
    “What did she do? Tell me, so I can go in there and toss her ass out with good reason.”
    “Annie, you can’t. Tara, remember?”
    Annie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I guess. Damn but this just pisses me off. You dump her and she shows up here. Julie was surprised to see her without you. But Tara wasn’t so I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she knew this was going to happen.”
    “It is what it is. Let’s get through dinner and then I’ll handle it, I swear.”
    “Henry, if you don’t, I will. I don’t mind being the bad guy. Tara had no business helping her blindside you like this and sister-in-law or not, I will say something.”
    “Point taken Annie, and by the way, we don’t know what Jackie told Tara. So let’s try to keep that in mind.”
    Annie nodded. She wasn’t someone that you wanted to cross. She used to be a bit more docile until a bitter, ugly divorce and custody battle had hardened her defenses. It was great for her independence, but a bit sad that the end of a relationship had done this to her.
    “Sit between me and Louis at