Page 35 of The Banned Books Club

“Who’s that?” he asked, but he didn’t leave his recliner. Answering the door was apparently her job.

She set the T-shirt she’d just folded aside and went to find out. She could see her father’s SUV in the drive through the front window, but when she opened the door, it was her sister standing on the stoop. “Hey, where’s Mom and Dad?”

“Mom wasn’t feeling up to coming over. She was ready for bed, and Dad stayed home with her in case she needed anything.”

“Other than working a few hours a day—when he can—he’s barely left her side, poor guy.”

“He was able to work as long as he needed to today. So I think he’s eager to tuck her in and spend some time alone with her.” Gia lifted the sack she was carrying. “I brought the kids a present. Do you mind if I come in?”

Margot didn’t want to let her. She couldn’t afford a confrontation with Sheldon, and since Gia never curbed her tongue, putting them in the same room was a risk. But how could she turn her sister away? Gia hadn’t seen the boys since she’d returned to town. “Sure. It...it would’ve been easier had you called. Then we could’ve arranged something—”

“Arrangedsomething?” she broke in. “I didn’t think it would be a big deal to stop over and see my nephews.”

“It’s not,” Margot reassured her. “Of course not. I just meant... Never mind.” Reluctantly, she stepped back to admit her sister and called out, “Matthew! Greydon! Your aunt’s here to see you.”

They came running from the back bedroom and threw their arms around Gia’s legs, nearly bowling her over as she laughed. “Wow! You two have grown so much since I saw you last.”

“I’m going to be bigger than my dad,” Matthew announced.

“So am I,” Greydon said.

Sheldon didn’t so much as turn down the television. He eyed Gia as if he was wondering whether he had to tolerate her presence, and it wasn’t until the boys had ripped the packaging off the new Lego sets Gia had purchased for them and begun to build a Harry Potter castle that her sister looked up and addressed him. “Hey, Sheldon.”

He merely grunted, which embarrassed Margot. Given what was going to happen in the very near future, she couldn’t say why. Maybe it was because Sheldon’s behavior was just more evidence that Gia was right about him—he was a subpar husband. She wondered why Sheldon didn’t try to keep up appearances with Gia like he did with both sets of parents and everyone else in town and supposed it was just too difficult to do that with someone who’d already seen through him.

After reclaiming the sack she’d carried in, Gia reached inside it and brought out a pocketknife with Sheldon’s name engraved on it. “Thought you might be able to use this when you go hunting next week,” she said and crossed the room to give it to him.

He took it and studied it for a moment. “You got this forme?”

“Has your name on it, doesn’t it?” she said jokingly.

“It does. And not many things do.”

“Yeah, well, your name isn’t a popular one in the hunting world. But a buddy I met through Eric does a lot of woodworking. He personalized it for me.”

“Thank you,” he said, his voice only slightly grudging. “Maybe you’re turning over a new leaf, eh?”

“If you’re asking if I like you now, the answer’s still no,” she replied, but she was laughing when she said it.

Margot could tell he couldn’t figure out if it was a joke—and she certainly wasn’t going to enlighten him that it was probably more of a peace offering forhersake than any real change in Gia’s opinion.

“Yeah, well, I don’t like you, either,” he grumbled. “But I like this,” he added with a grin, holding up the knife.

“Good.” Gia shrugged. “Now you can’t say I never gave you anything.”

“That’s true, but don’t expect a gift in return.” He laughed uproariously, as if his reply had been the wittiest thing ever.

Gia gave him a wry grin. “Considering how long you’ve been in the family, why would I expect you to start being nice now?”

Relieved that their banter was fairly friendly, despite the more serious undercurrent, Margot jumped in before it could turn to something worse. “I made a red velvet cake we had after dinner. Why don’t you come into the kitchen, and I’ll get you a piece?”

Gia insisted on playing with the kids first and helping them build the Lego sets she’d brought them. When it came time, she also put them to bed and spent at least a half hour reading them stories.

When she finally came into the kitchen, Sheldon had just turned off the TV and headed down the hall to get ready for bed.

Grateful for some quiet time with her sister, Margot cut a piece of the cake, added a large scoop of ice cream and set it on the table.

“Those boys are turning out great in spite of Sheldon,” Gia said as she sat down and picked up her fork. “Must be our genes.”

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