“Sure. Oh, by the way, Mom says there’s still room for two more at the table on Thanksgiving. You and Matt are welcome to come.”

“Thank her for me, will you? I think I’ll just have a quiet Thanksgiving at home. I’ll bring the kids by on Thursday morning after we watch the parade.”

“The parade. Still your most favorite thing on TV?”

“And it always will be,” she said, smiling, thinking about the time Carlos had maxed out every credit card they had to make sure she witnessed it live on the streets of New York. That was a lifetime ago, she reminded herself. Too bad she’d fought him over it instead of realizing the sentiment behind it.

She touched his arm as she walked past him, and then hurried out to her car where her children waited for her. Their smiles took away the pain she’d been feeling. Even when everything around her seemed to be shattering, she still had her children.

Panic suddenly filled her, and she fought back the emotions that were clawing at her. She wondered how long she had left to be their mother.

Carlos waved as the car disappeared down the long drive. The pain that ripped through him each time they passed off the kids was back. It had been five years. He’d thought it would get easier, but it never did.

They’d had a family together. That was supposed to be forever.

As he walked back into the room, Regan stirred awake. “Did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah. Tyler graduated from college yesterday, and now he’s getting married.”

“Smart–ass.” She laughed as she sat up. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep while she was here. That was rude of me.”

“That’s what she said.”

“Liar, she’d never say a mean thing ever.” She looked down at her son and smiled. “He’s so perfect.”

“He really is. When will Zach be home?”

“He’s finishing up a meeting with John Forrester. He’ll be home in an hour or so.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Go if you need to.”

He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “Kathy’s making a special dinner tonight.”

“Things are going well between the two of you?” Regan tucked her feet under her and smiled up at him.

“Yeah. It’s been long enough. It’s time for me to move on, don’t you think?”

“Only if you’re ready.” Her voice was soft and all too knowing.

He had to be ready. It still hurt to watch Madeline live a happy life without him. He was dying inside, and he needed to find that kind of love again. “I’m ready, Reg. It’s been five years. I’m tired of wondering what happened to my perfect marriage. She moved on. She remarried. I need to fall in love, and I need to move on.”

“And you’re in love with Kathy?”

“I didn’t say that.” The word love twisted his gut. “I’m just willing to feel it out. I like her a lot.”

“She’s a nice woman.”

“Good, I have my little sister’s blessing.” He bent to kiss her on the cheek. “Take care of my little man. Uncle Carlos will come back out tomorrow.”

“You’re worse than Mom,” she called after him as he left the room.

“Bite your tongue,” he hollered back.

The drive back from Regan and Zach’s was long and loud. The kids had been with their father for the week. Even though she’d spoken to them each night, they all had their own set of stories they wanted to tell her, and all at the same time.

Clara had aced her spelling test. Christian scored twelve points in his basketball game. Eduardo had only two hundred and forty-five days until he could drive. She smiled at him and shook her head.

“That’s only if your father and I agree to it.”

“He’ll agree. I’d be able to help out. Just think about it, Mom. I could get everyone to school and back and forth between your house and dad’s house. Really, Mom, I’m only thinking about you.”

She reached across the car and laid her hand on her son’s arm. These were the moments she had to fight for. “Son, you are the most thoughtful thing.”

“Kathy says that by the time he’s got his license, maybe she’ll be in the market for a new car,” Clara offered.

Madeline swallowed hard. Kathy. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes behind her sunglasses, and she forced them back.

She was more than familiar with the name. Clara had taken to the woman, and the boys thought she was nice enough. In her heart, she knew she should be happy for her ex-husband, but she just couldn’t be.

She’d been the one to remarry less than a year after they’d divorced. Even worse, she’d married his best friend and ruined that relationship. Now she was alone, and Carlos had finally found happiness. She deserved that, she decided. Karma was a tricky thing. You might have thought what you did was right, but in the end you end up alone and dying.

“Mom, are you okay?” Eduardo reached his hand to her shoulder.

“I’m fine, sweetie.”

“You’re spacing out. Want me to drive?”

“You can drive me home in two hundred and forty-five days,” she said, feeling the tension in her shoulders build as they turned into their neighborhood and drove into the driveway.

Matt’s car was gone, and she wondered how long it would take for one of them to notice that so was everything else Matt owned.

It took exactly sixteen minutes.

“Mom! Where is the Wii?” Christian called from the family room.

Madeline squeezed her eyes tight and took a deep breath as she stood over the sink in the kitchen.

“It’s gone. It’s all gone! The Wii, the games, the guitars!” He ran through the door to the kitchen. “Mom, even Matt’s chair is gone. I think someone broke into the house.”

Clara was right on his heels, and Eduardo flew down the stairs from his room when he heard the chaos.

Madeline sucked up her courage and straightened her spine. When she turned, three sets of dark eyes watched her. “Why don’t you all sit down? Let’s talk.”

They didn’t say another word. Madeline knew they could see the pain in her face. She’d explain everything about Matt, but until she had a solid path toward treatment, she wasn’t about to mention the cancer.