By Way of Sorrow by Robyn Gigl

Author:Robyn Gigl [Gigl, Robyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2020-03-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

HAVING DECIDED TO KEEP HER APPEARANCE AS LOW-KEY AS POSSIBLE, Erin dressed very casually—slacks, a sweater, flats, light on the makeup and jewelry. This was going to be hard enough, and she was afraid her father’s head might explode if she walked in wearing a dress and heels.

She purposely arrived late, wondering how she was supposed to eat Thanksgiving dinner when her stomach was in her throat. Patrick and Brennan, who were playing with the latest handheld game in the living room, jumped up from the couch. “Aunt Erin’s here!” they shouted in unison toward the kitchen.

“Hi, guys,” she offered as they came over and hugged her. “Nice to see you again.”

Liz walked into the living room and gave her a hug. “How you doing?” Liz asked, the tone in her voice almost foreboding. As if to say, however you were feeling before, it’s about to get worse.

Sensing the ominous inflection in Liz’s voice, Erin hesitated. “I don’t know. How am I doing?”

“I’m not sure. In an effort to get prepared to see you, your father has had a few drinks. Let’s just say he’s very loquacious.”

“My dad? The man whose idea of a dinner conversation is ‘Pass the salt, please’?”

“That would be the one,” Liz said, raising her eyebrows.

“Uh-oh.”

“Hello, dear,” Erin’s mother interrupted as she walked into the room, wiping her hands on her apron. “Nice of you to join us.”

“Thanks,” Erin replied, as she leaned in and gave her mother a kiss. “I hear Daddy’s feeling no pain.”

“I will confess that he has tried to anesthetize himself. All we can do is hope.”

She wrapped her arm in Erin’s and led her into the kitchen, where Sean was standing by the sink and her father was sitting at the kitchen table, beer in hand.

“Erin’s here!” Peg announced as they walked into the kitchen.

Sean took a tentative step forward and extended his hand with a cautious smile. “Hey, good to see you.”

Erin, internally cringing at the handshake instead of a hug, reached out and shook her brother’s hand. “Good to see you too,” she replied, before turning toward the kitchen table. “Hi, Dad,” she said, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

Her father looked up from the table but closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes and she was still there, he gave her the once-over from her head down. He closed his eyes again and this time he exhaled. “Whatya want me to say, good to see you? Well, it’s not. Not like that,” he said, motioning with his arms. He pushed his chair away from the table and walked out to the den.

Erin stood there, red-faced, not sure what to say.

“Well, that went well,” Sean mumbled.

Peg turned to Liz. “Do me a favor, love, stir the gravy,” she said, handing Liz the spoon and taking Erin by the hand. Peg marched into the den, Erin in tow, closing the door behind them. She practically pushed Erin into the easy chair opposite the sofa where her husband had gone for refuge, then stood in front of him.

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