Excerpt
They hugged each other briefly, then the older woman pulled away and looked into Tyne’s face with a frown.
“You look terrible, dear. Has it been a rough night?” She dropped her purse on a kitchen chair, and took a gingham apron from the bag she had carried in with her.
“It was rough, Mom. Poor little tykes, I just can’t imagine how they’re hurting. Maybe if they’d had more time to prepare … to get used to the idea that their mom was very sick, and might die … but she was doing so well ….”
Emily placed a gentle hand on Tyne’s shoulder. “I know, Tyne. But you can’t beat yourself up over this. We’ll do all we can to help, even when they’re back with their family.” She shrugged as she tied the strings of the apron behind her. “Whoever that might be.”
Tyne wondered if she should tell her mother what she and Morley had discussed last night regarding the children, but decided against it. Her mother, although trying to be supportive, looked a little tired and worn herself.
“Mom,” she said as she watched her set out breakfast dishes and open the refrigerator for eggs, “are you finding it too much to come out here so early in the morning to look after two active kids?”
Emily put the bowl of eggs on the counter, and turned around. “Oh Tyne dear, it’s not that. I want to help, but … well, I may as well tell you straight out, I don’t think I can keep coming.”
“What’s wrong, Mom? Is Dad …?”
Emily shook her head. “No, no, not your dad. He’s actually been good about this. It’s Jeremy.”
“Jeremy?”
“He’s grieving, Tyne. He hardly leaves the house, and misses a lot of work. When he does go, he comes right home afterwards and shuts himself in his room. I have to coax him to come downstairs for meals, then he hardly touches his food.”
As Emily turned to look through the window over the sink, she brushed at the tears sliding down her cheeks. Only then did Tyne notice how worn out her mother looked and how unkempt. The dark blonde hair, usually arranged so neatly into a chignon at the nape of
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