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“It’s fine” Savannah sighed “But I’ to do with him”

“Sure you are,” Margot said, her voice rich with a fee “I’m not”

“I heard you”

“Who’s this?” Katie asked, picking up one of the files She twisted it so Savannah could see the photo

Savannah’s blood momentarily stopped in her veins

Mom

The beauty in the picture was the mother she hadn’t seen in twenty years

It was Vanessa as Savannah relasses, her hand lifted in a one a few minutes”

A lie, that gesture

“Your grandot said, when Savannah couldn’t seem to find the words

“How come she’s not here?” Katie asked in the simple way of kids “And why don’t Uncle Tyler and Uncle Carter come visit?” Katie pulled up pictures of Carter and Tyler

All of the reasons seeo by so fast

“I’ to make sure Carter and Tyler come home for Christmas,” Savannah said “It’s time”

“That would be lovely,” Margot said “But we’d have more luck if we accepted Carter’s invitation to spend the holiday in Baton Rouge You know he doesn’t like his past getting mixed up with his present”

“I don’t think co to kill his professional career,” Savannah snapped

Margot eyed her “It also wouldn’t kill you to leave Bonne Terre”

“I’d like to go to Baton Rouge,” Katie said, her eyes bright with the prospect Katie hadn’t been out of the parish since she was a year and a half and Tyler had paid for tickets for the two of the to Mars

“They can cooing to them, the deserters “This is their home”

Margot shook her head “Not to theot was trying to do, but this was their home, Savannah, Tyler and Carter’s The home they made after Moether

Until they left it

“I don’t understand why you take it as a personal betrayal that they left” Margot sighed “Or why you think this house will fall down if you go I asked you to coas last year And last hted to have you—”

“Right, I’ on a trip with you and your boyfriend”

“Just friend, honey” Margot smoothed back white hair from her forehead “Boyfriends are for children”

This conversation was slipping from uncomfortable to ridiculous