"We'll go with you," Kate stated.
"No. I think it's time I'm honest with them and myself about what type of relationship I was in. I need to do this on my own."
Arilyn nodded. "We understand. Listen, we'll be at Kinnections all day. Why don't you come by and we'll have a girl's night? You can come to my place."
Gen smiled. "Thanks, but I don't know if I'm up to it right now. I need some time to think. Deal with David. How about I let you know?"
Kate looked worried, but finally agreed. Wolfe broke off pieces of the breakfast sandwiches and handed out coffee, and her friends finally left. Odd, she felt different already. As if a piece of her had flared to life, reminding her there were plenty of people who loved her for who she was and never asked for changes. Isn't that love, like Wolfe had said? Had David ever really loved her? Had she ever loved him?
"What time are you heading out?"
She shook off her thoughts and put the dishes in the sink. "Now."
He washed his hands, dried them, and grabbed his keys. "I'll drive."
Gen stared at him. "You don't have to come with me. It's my family. I'll be fine."
"I know. I haven't seen your parents in a while, and I'd like to hang with you today."
She narrowed her gaze. "You and my father don't get along. Izzy will probably be there. I don't need a babysitter."
"I know. I'm still going."
She glared at him. He stood in her kitchen, relaxed, the black ink of his tattoo crawling up his meaty shoulder and caressing his ear. The diamond in his ear gleamed, along with his eyebrow ring, and his hair was a delicious mess of dark curls. Gen knew he wasn't budging. She'd seen that look before, and it was all pretend casual. Inside, he was a rock, and if he wanted to go with her, he was going.
She huffed out a breath. "Fine. Come on."
When they pulled up to her mother's house, Gen was grateful for his presence. A mass of cars filled the driveway, and her stomach fluttered. Had she always been afraid of disappointing her family? Funny, they'd never pressured her with career, or their expectations of what type of person she should be. Had it all been her own aspirations and drive for success? Maybe it was time to be brave enough to admit her mistakes. That she didn't know all the answers, and maybe wasn't the person they always thought she was.
"Ready?"
He grabbed her hand.
"Ready."
They walked together up the steps to the big porch, where white wicker rocking chairs and tables spread out. Their family had called her home Tara because it was the core of who they were. She remembered when her father had abandoned them for the lure of the bottle, and how her mother struggled to keep the house on her meager salary. Remembered the endless crying at night from her mother's room, and the anger burning in Izzy directed at her father. Her brother, Lance, was in medical school at the time and had gotten his girlfriend pregnant. The house welcomed all of them in, along with the new baby, who became her first beloved niece. Lance married Gina and raised Taylor there for the first few years as he struggled through medical school.
One day her father returned, sober, determined to get his family back. It was a long, hard road to forgiveness, but never forgetfulness. Eventually her mom took him back and they healed, but scars were left behind. She knew something had changed in Izzy during that time. Her twin had always been physically the same, but so very different under the surface. Where Gen longed to fit within the rules and be the best, Izzy flouted those same rules and embraced rebellion. It was almost as if she felt too much, and her emotions had gotten too big to contain. The long spiral into trouble almost broke the family apart again.
She remembered the day she discovered marijuana hidden in the closet, deep inside an old gym bag. Izzy begged her to keep the secret, promising she was holding it for someone else, and that Gen needed to trust her.
Gen wondered if things would've been different if she'd listened to her sister. Instead, she told, and after that everything changed. Izzy never trusted her and shut her out, and the closeness they'd once shared dissolved. A coldness seeped between them, a wall so high it couldn't be scaled. Gen mourned the loss of her twin every day.
Gen took a deep breath and opened the door.
The house enfolded her in a tight embrace and memories of comfort. The scent of lemon polish floated around her. The gorgeous staircase with the elaborate Southern charm emphasized high ceilings, bay windows, and an innate coziness that welcomed visitors.
"Genevieve!"
Her mother rushed toward her, holding her tight with a mother's strength. Maria MacKenzie was of Italian blood that bred a foundation of family, food, and iron willpower. Alone, she held all the fragments together and was always loving to strangers, opening her home and herself to anyone who needed her. Petite, with curly dark hair and strong, animated features, she took control in moments.
"Wolfe, thank you for taking care of my own. I knew you'd bring her back."
Wolfe nodded, kissed her cheek, and stepped back.
The rest of the crowd bum-rushed her.
Alexa reached her first, gripping her fiercely like a mama bear bent on protecting her cub. "I was so worried," she whispered. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm sorry," she said. "So sorry I did this to everyone."
"Shush, we just want you to be safe."
Gina and Lance came next. Lance gave her the older brother worried stare, while Gina fussed, explaining Taylor was at a friend's house so she didn't have to deal with her thousand questions about why her aunt ran out on her wedding.
As they made their way into the hallway, her gaze fell upon the last two members of her family standing back. Izzy wore her usual badass outfit. Leather shorts. Tight black tank. The red ink of the thorny rose peeked over the curve of her breast. She used to have the same crazy curls Gen sported, but she had had her hair straightened. Long choppy strands entwined with purple framed her face. They were twins, but had never looked so different. Again, the distance between them panged. Gen opened her arms. Her sister responded but remained stiff, as if not used to physical affection. "You sure know how to make an exit," Izzy said. "You okay?"
Gen choked out a laugh. "About time I caused the excitement around here. I'm hanging in." The comment brought a tentative smile to her twin's face. Gen looked over her sister and met her father's gaze. "Hi, Dad."
Jim MacKenzie blinked, his blue eyes filled with raw emotion. "Genevieve. We were worried."
"I know. Sorry, Daddy."
He swallowed, then closed the distance to give her a hug. Even though he'd broken her heart when she was young, he was her knight in shining armor. A tarnished knight, yes. But he'd come back for his family, fought for redemption, and never allowed her to doubt him again. She hated disappointing him, but he also allowed her to see the possibility of making mistakes and recovering.
When he turned his head, his eyes iced. "Wolfe. What are you doing here?"
"Jim! He's welcome in our house," her mother said.
"I didn't say he wasn't. Just wanted to know why he's here. In fact, I'd like to know how my daughter ended up in your car in the first place. Did you plant this seed in her head?"
Gen gasped. "Dad, cut it out! Wolfe took care of me--it isn't his fault. This was my decision. I'm the one who ran out of t
he church, and he happened to be outside. I asked him to get me away."
"Convenient."
"Jim. Enough," Maria snapped.
He fell silent. Wolfe didn't say a word. Gen didn't know why her father was always suspicious of Wolfe. From the early days of their friendship, a scowl would come over her father's face when she spoke about Wolfe, and he'd urged her many times to be careful of him, even though he was family to Alexa and Maggie.
"Let's go into the living room and talk," Maria said.
Jim grumbled something but followed. Her mom had set up an array of pastries, coffee, and tea. Everyone grabbed something to eat and sat down. How weird. Usually they had family meetings regarding a crisis, which usually involved Izzy. It had never been about her.
Wolfe perched in the chair farthest away, but his presence pulsed around her in an almost physical manner. She relaxed, reminding herself they were here to support her decision. She just needed to tell them the truth.
"First off, I can't say how sorry I am for doing what I did. I know I left everyone without an explanation. I stuck you with a mess and I never meant for it to happen. I just . . . panicked."
Alexa spoke up. "We don't care about the fallout. We're more worried about why you ran."
Jim cut in. "You heard what she said. She panicked. She had a bad case of bridal jitters and didn't handle it well. We can fix this."
Lance nodded. "I loved Gina, but getting ready to say your vows is a big deal." He grinned when she punched him in the shoulder. "Look, I know how the hospital can get when you're a resident. Crazy hours, little sleep, and planning a wedding. David explained he's been worried about you for a long time."
Her inner voice woke up from sleep and bellowed in protest. David was talking to her family about her? What was going on?
Gen shook her head. "Wait. What did David say about me? This was more than a regular panic attack, Dad. There's been a problem between us for a while but I haven't wanted to deal with it."
Her parents shared a pointed look. Alexa looked sympathetic. Izzy frowned. But there was something strange going on, an aura of anticipation as they were listening to her story. Jim cleared his throat. "Honey, I just wish you would've shared things with us. We could've helped you. David said you've been having some panic attacks. He said you're constantly questioning if you're good enough at the hospital, and started to feel you didn't deserve him as a husband. He's been honest with me and your mother about the issues, but he loves you. Why won't you take the medicine?"