“Mom. Are you okay?”

She smiled up at him and ran a hand affectionately over his bald head. “I just want to spend a little time with my handsome son. Now, what’s this I hear about a girlfriend at your house? Why don’t you ever bring anyone home to meet me?”

His brother Bennett was walking up behind his mother, his mouth open as if he was about to say something. When he heard her words, he clamped his lips shut and backed away slowly, sending Eli a sympathetic look.

“Welcome home,” he mouthed before turning around and going the other direction.

Eli grunted and took another swig of his beer. “Yeah, yeah. No place like it.”

And despite knowing that he was in for at least an hour of well-intentioned prying from his mother, he meant every word.

*   *   *   *   *

KAYLEE WILHELM WATCHED as her mom held her granddaughter in the crook of her arm and bounced her on her hip. Her mom made kissy-faces and talked in a singsong voice as she danced the baby back and forth.

The two of them formed quite a picture silhouetted against the darkening sky. Kay loved watching them like this when her mom didn’t know she was looking. It was the only time she saw glimpses of how her mom used to be.

Before she’d disappointed her.

She shook off the dark thoughts and went back to what she’d been doing, folding the purple baby blanket she held into a neat square. It went into the diaper bag along with Hope’s favorite plastic unicorn teething ring. She’d forgotten it the last time they visited and Hope had cried for hours without it that night.

“Are you getting ready to head out, baby girl?” Her father, Leeland Wilhelm, handed her a stack of baby wipes that she’d left on the coffee table.

“Yeah, I need to go over some things tonight. I have to practice the new songs Jackson sent me. We’re supposed to record them right after the New Year.”

Her father’s face fell and she immediately wished she hadn’t brought it up. He hated that she’d quit her job to pursue a singing career. Especially since she was singing “the devil’s music” now.

“It’s the holidays, pumpkin. You should be here for Christmas. I don’t like thinking of you in that apartment all alone.”

“I’m not alone.” She glanced over to Hope. When she caught sight of her, the baby gurgled and tried to throw her little body sideways out of her grandmother’s arms.

“You know what I meant.” He handed her the diaper bag and followed as she walked over to her mom.

“Okay, Mom, we need to get going. I heard the snow is going to get worse tonight so I need to be home before then.”

“You should just stay here. The ham is almost done and you can help me make the bread for dinner tomorrow.”

Kay suppressed a sigh. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning, Mom. I just have some stuff that I need to do at home.”

Her mom clutched Hope closer. “You can always leave Hope here. It’s foolish to drag her out in this weather when you don’t have to. She has everything she needs here, anyway.”

Kay gritted her teeth. Her mom had been doing this more and more lately, leaving not-so-subtle hints that Hope would be better off staying with them full time. Her mom thought she was helping out, but all Kaylee heard was your daughter is better off without you or you’re not a good mother. Whenever she said anything about it, her mom brushed off her concerns as Kaylee being too sensitive.

“We’re going home now. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Kay leaned over and gathered Hope in her arms, settling her on her hip. It was hard not to be rude sometimes, but she’d learned the hard way that she needed to be forceful with her mom or they’d be going back and forth all evening.

“I don’t see what the rush is—”

“Just let the girl be, Henrietta. They’ll be back tomorrow.”

Kay sent her father a grateful look. He wasn’t happy with some of the choices she’d made in the last year, but at least he tried to help her out.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow morning.” She kissed her mother on the cheek and then stood still so her father could kiss her forehead.

“Don’t forget her blankie,” her mom said. She followed directly behind them, wringing her hands as Kaylee walked to the door.

“I’ve got it, Mom.”

“And what about her teething ring? You forgot it last time, you know.”

“Yes, I know. It’s in the diaper bag.”

Kay tried to block out the rest of her mom’s warnings as she pulled the diaper bag higher on her shoulder. If she responded, it would just prolong the lecture. It was easier to let her mom get it all out of her system while she did the hard work of wrestling Hope into her fluffy winter coat and fastening her in her car seat. Finally, she stood and lifted the car seat with her right hand. It no longer felt like it weighed a ton since she was so used to lugging it around.

Her parents stood in the doorway, watching as she carefully navigated the walk from the front door to where her car was parked in their driveway. She leaned into the back seat of her sedan, her back protesting the whole way, to latch the car seat into its base. When she was done, she waved gaily at her parents before getting into the driver’s seat and securing her own seat belt. At the sight of them standing in the doorway, a small pang of guilt made her hesitate, her hand pausing on the key in the ignition.

It was Christmas Eve.

It was the holidays and she was leaving her parents alone so she could practice. Yes, they were a little overbearing at times but they were still her parents.