He fixed the knot. “You handled the hard part. Today’s about Adele. But I know what it took to get her here.”
I had to blink hard.
“Take care of her.”
“I will.”
The door opened and Lucille walked in like she was heading into a fight.
“I raised six girls.”
“If Maya makes a scene,” she said, “I’m walking outside before I say something I can’t take back.”
Behind her, Shannon appeared in a soft blue dress, twisting her bracelet.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Do I have to hug her?”
The room went quiet.
I put both hands on her shoulders. “No. Nobody gets a hug just because they share blood.”
“Do I have to hug her?”
Her shoulders dropped. “Okay.”
Piper kept asking if everyone had eaten, which meant she hadn’t.
Then the doors opened.
I knew Maya had arrived before I even saw her.
