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Kayla laughed too quickly.
Graham didn’t laugh.
His adult children were kind.
That surprised all of us.
Allison, his oldest daughter, hugged the twins and said, “I can’t believe you’re finally here.”
Jennifer smiled carefully.
“We’ve heard about you forever.”
Allison’s warmth made the whole thing worse. She wasn’t performing for us; she genuinely believed she was finally meeting relatives Kayla had described for years.
Lizzie asked, “What exactly have you heard?”
Allison shrugged.
Jennifer went still.
“What college stuff?”
“How you both became distant after leaving college.”
Lizzie laughed once.
Allison’s smile disappeared.
Kayla hadn’t erased them.
She had invented them.
Jennifer found Graham near the bar.
Kayla immediately said, “Jennifer, today really isn’t the day.”
Jennifer looked at her.
“I think you’ve had twenty years to pick a day.”
Graham led them toward a small side room.
Lizzie followed.
She returned almost immediately.
“Grandma.”
“I don’t need to be in there.”
Inside, Graham sat across from Kayla.
He looked exhausted.
Jennifer sat beside Lizzie.
I remained near the door.
Graham asked one question.
Kayla stared at the carpet.