One More for Christmas

“You will not. First, you don’t need to because you’re not coming. And second, you don’t need to because you’re not coming.”

It was so tempting to simply let her sister take the strain of it, but Ella knew she couldn’t do that. They stuck together. They always had, and they always would. She wouldn’t let Samantha do this alone any more than Samantha would let her do it. “Thanks, but I’ll be okay. If she’s asking for us, we should both go. And we can share a hotel room and make it fun. Hold on one moment—” She held the phone in front of her and typed a quick message. “Okay. Done.”

“After what happened last time—the way she spoke to you.” Samantha’s voice shook a little. “Honestly, Ella. Don’t go.”

“She’s—” Ella glanced at Tab, who was listening intently. “I have to.”

“Why? Because we’re her daughters? She’s more interested in inspiring and lifting up a stranger, than she is in supporting us.”

“I know. But I won’t be like her. I won’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. And I know you feel the same.”

“I do.” Samantha sighed. “All right. I’ll meet you there. But please reassure me that your expectations are realistic. She is not going to clasp you to her bosom and say how much she loves you and how proud she is of everything you’ve achieved.”

“Do you think she is finally going to apologize?”

There was a pause. “I doubt it. Not after five years.”

?

?But she called us!” Ella lowered her voice and walked to the opposite end of the kitchen so that Tab couldn’t hear every word. “That’s her reaching out. That has to be a good sign.”

“You are such an optimist. Which I love, but it scares me. We don’t know why she’s reaching out. And if you go there thinking that this is all going to end happily, you’ll be hurt again and I can’t bear that. I know you can’t talk properly because you have Tab there, but you do know what I’m saying, don’t you?”

“Yes. Are you okay?” Ella quickly glanced at Tab. “You sound stressed.”

“I’m fine. Not my best day, that’s all.”

“Work or Kyle?”

“Kyle and I broke up. My fault and my choice, but it’s still stress. This Mom thing isn’t helping.”

Ella kept her mouth shut. In her opinion, Kyle had been as exciting as a piece of dried fruit, but she knew better than to say so. Her sister’s relationships were a no-go area. The one thing they never talked about in depth.

“How did the assistant even get your number? We’ve both moved since we last saw her.”

“I assume they looked me up on the internet.”

“It must have been a pretty shocking call.”

“Yeah, I’ve had a few of those today.”

Ella frowned. “You’ve had more than one bad phone call?”

“Forget it.”

“I want to hear about it.”

“I can’t yet talk about it without wanting to die of humiliation.”

Intrigued, Ella was about to ask another question when she heard the sound of Michael’s key in the door. “I need to go—Michael is home. Text me the details of the hospital and I’ll see you there.”

Ella dropped her phone into her purse.

Hospital. Her mother. She was going to see her mother.

Michael strode into the room and immediately her tension eased and her breathing settled.

Meeting him had changed her world. She never felt less when she was with Michael. He made her feel interesting, important and confident in her decisions. He made her feel like success.