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“Hey theah, deah,” Billy says “Looks like your brothah’s gonna be a fathah!”

“Looks like it,” I agree, happily surrendering the controls to soet us killed

The blessing resumes, albeit completely overshadowed by Jonah’s proclamations, and Billy steers us past the dock, where Father Tim and Reverend Hollis dutifully bless us

“Would you let me off here, Billy?” I ask

“Sure enough, deah” Billy side the dock and I ju for me

“Holy Mother Of God!” she proclaims

“Ayuh,” I agree

“Did you know?”

“Not until about five o,” I say “Where are they?”

Christy leads h the crowd My brother, a blanket draped around his shoulders, is drinking a cup of coffee, gripping Chantal’s hand

“Hello,” I say

“Hey, sis,” Jonah says

“Chantal,” I grind out, “didn’t I tell you Jonah was off limits?”

She grie is done”

“So it’s his?” I ask

“Yeah” She looks nervous, but her hand is in my brother’s

I take a big breath, then another, then take the coffee fro to be an auntie again!”

What the hell I give Chantal a big hug, because really, what else can I do? “Break his heart and I kill you,” I whisper

“Got it Oh, Maggie, please forgive me,” she whispers back “He’s just so…”

“Spare me the details, okay? He’s my baby brother”

“She says she won’t ie,” Jonah says “You need to work on her, okay?”

“Why would I do anything for you, idiot?” I ask Jonah, s his head “You stranded me out there”

“And yet here you are” He suring it out”

“You’re welcouess it’s not the worst thing in the world that could happen

And then, aware that just about every singlearound us,

“I hope you’re all proud of yourselves,” I announce “For weeks now, you’ve been bad- his lines, all because you have nothing better to do than gossip Sha except keep his mouth shut, which isme”

“It was a logical guess,” Stuart speculates “Malone never denied it”

“Malone shouldn’t have to deny anything,” I say hotly “Besides, he wasn’t even sleeping with Chantal He was sleeping with me So there”

Oops

A speculative oes white, Christy grihs

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

WE SPEND the rest of the day as the chief entertainhs Jonah is bea, but the pall that’s been hanging over her is gone She seems happy I don’t know if she’ll stay with Jonah, but hey Anything is possible

“Another grandchild, Mom,” I comment as the two of us sit at a picnic table

Mo thehs “And won’t that be nice”

“Are you upset?” I ask tentatively “I know Jonah’s your favorite…”

“Oh, Maggie, don’t be silly Mothers don’t have favorites Someday you’ll know that for yourself” She pats s work out for him, but it’s really not my problem, is it?”

“I guess not,” I murmur

“I’ve reached a stage of life, Maggie, where I finally realized that your kids are going to do what they want My job is done You don’t need , do you?”

“Well, I guess not, Mo But still, ant you involved”

My et going,” she says “It’s a long drive” She kisses ht, Maggie?”

We’ve decided to have lunch twice aforward to it”

“Me, too Maybe you can get so done about those roots when you come”

Oddly reassured that she’s stillmother, I wave as she walks off

Blessing Weekend is over Fauished Noah Gri apart the podiu, and then flits away, quick as a hubird

“I’ve coie”

“Father Tim,” I say A lump rises in my throat

“I’ll be leaving first thing in the ”