Yeah ... that never ended well.

Cella pulled away from the curb, and headed to the pharmacy. Her daughter, yawning, rested her head against the window.

“You know, baby, you can always take one of the cars yourself if you need to go somewhere.”

“Fine!” her daughter suddenly exploded. “I’m sorry I woke you up! And I’m sorry I’m bothering you to help me out! Next time I won’t!”

Cella hit the brakes, stopping the car at the end of their street. She let the silence percolate for a bit before she asked, “Something amiss, my love?”

Well, she hadn’t meant to do that. “No, no. Of course not,” Meghan lied, hoping her mother would let it go.

Then again, her mother didn’t let anything go. That was what made Cella Malone a great hockey player and killer cat.

But, at the very least, she started driving again.

“Look, Meg, I know you don’t like deep, meaningful conversations, but you can’t yell at me and not tell me what’s going on. What I’m doing wrong.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong. I’m just under a lot of stress right now.”

“The last thing you should have, kid, is stress.”

“There’s just a lot going on, okay? I’ve got school, Daddy’s wedding, or weddings. I’ve never actually left the country before and now I’m going all the way to flippin’ Israel.”

“It’s gorgeous there. You’ll love it. And you’ll have all of KZS watching your ass while you’re there. You couldn’t be more safe if I vacuum-sealed you in a puncture-resistant bag, which I’ve thought about.”

“I’m not worried about my safety, Ma.”

“You should always be worried about your safety anytime you leave the ... front yard.”

Meg’s eyes crossed and she stared out the window.

“Is this about college?”

Meghan cringed, not ready for this conversation. She might never be ready.

“I don’t know what you’re worried about. You’re going to do great at Boston U.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You’re smart, you’re gorgeous—because you’ve got my genes—and you’ll have the Boston Malones watching out for you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“If you want, we can go up there and spend time with the family one of these upcoming weekends. Go check out the campus, look around ...”

Get her off the subject! Get her off the subject!

“It’s not school. It’s ... it’s ...”

“It’s what?”

“It’s ... you.”

“Me?”

“And the aunts.”

Her mother sighed and Meg could hear the frustration in her voice. “What did Deirdre say to you?”

“Ma.”

“That old bitch isreally getting on my last goddamn nerve.”

“Ma! This is what I’m talking about.” And she wasn’t making this part up. “All you do is fight with the aunts. Especially Deirdre.”

“Because she’s evil.”

“She’s not evil. She’s blood.” Meg turned in the seat and looked at her mother. “What is it about Aunt Deirdre that bothers you?”

“Bothers me? That woman hates me, and she’s been trying to turn you against me since your birth. The placenta hadn’t even come out yet when she started in.”

“Ma.”

“Don’t ‘Ma’ me.”

“You know what I want for my birthday?” Meghan snapped. “For you not to fight with Deirdre.”

“Why don’t you just ask for the sun?”

“See? That’s what I’m talking about.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “That’ll be my birthday all day today. Getting between you and Deirdre.”

“No one asks you to get between us.”

“I can’t have you fighting an old woman!”

“Don’t let her age fool you. She-tigers who manage to live that long are naturally mean and those disfigured knuckles of hers are not from an accident but brawls that she usually started.”

“Like you?”

“I don’t start brawls, baby, I finish them.”

Fed up with the conversation, Meg blew out a breath and focused her gaze straight ahead. The silence lasted until they pulled into the parking lot and that’s when her mother said, “You don’t want me to fight with Deirdre? I won’t fight with Deirdre. I won’t fight with her.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that no matter how hard she pushes, I will not let her goad me into a fight.”

“Ma, you’re not physically capable of doing that.”

“I can do anything.”

“Gliding around on ice while beating up guys ten times your size—this is what you can physically manage. Not fighting with your elderly aunt? Not so much.”

“But I will. For you. Not only that, I’m not going to fight with Deirdre until after you leave for the second wedding.”

“Ma.”

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“But why would you do that?”

“Because I love you. And no matter what that old bitch told you, I did not desert you.”

Startled, Meg looked at her mother. “I know.”

“Do you?”

“Of course, I do. It’s not like you ran off to Times Square to be a hooker. You joined the Marines. Besides, there’s no way to desert a Malone cub when you’ve got ten thousand aunts, uncles, and cousins in North America, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico alone.”