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Clearly, I pushed too far. “Fine. Do you want me to come home with you?”

Nora shakes her head. “I’m going to need some alone time to unwind after this. It’s a lot.”

“All right.” She’s nothing if not straightforward. I pretty much know what to expect when I ask her a question—I just don’t always get the answer I personally hope for.

“I’m sorry. I know I’m difficult.” She looks at the dishes. “And spoiled. You should really have let your kids take care of those.” The grin she sends me is so disarming, I don’t have it in me to protest.

CHAPTER31

NORA

It’s the Monday before Thanksgiving, and we’re not shooting this week. I’m in heaven because I’m lying with my head in Mimi’s lap, Izzy happily snoring on my belly. Mimi’s stroking my hair and we’re just enjoying each other’s company in silence.

“Can I ask you something?” Mimi breaks the blissful silence.

“Sure.” I glance up at her. “Anything.”

“Really?” She grins at me. “Even something that will most likely annoy you?”

“Who? Me? You know I’m not that easily annoyed,” I joke.

“Just gauging your mood.”

“You’ve done an excellent job of relaxing me. I may need you to follow me around permanently and run your fingers through my hair like this all the time.”

“Great, and just so you know, after I’ve asked the question, and I might or might not have annoyed you, feel free to avail of my incomparable massage skills. Okay?”

“Okay.” What is she going to ask me? “Just ask me already.”

“I will, but I’m trying a new approach where I tell you beforehand that you’re not going to like my question and I know you’re going to get all defensive, and I’m ready for your reaction. I’m prepared and I’d like you to be prepared as well. But—” She slants to me and kisses my forehead. “I love you and I only want good things for you.”

“Jesus.” Way to kill the mood. At least she’s not breaking up with me—she just told me she loved me. I pick up Izzy and push myself out of Mimi’s lap. “Same,” I say, and even though it sounds a bit lame, I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Mimi looks at me, her features soft. “Are you planning on calling your parents this week? To wish them a happy Thanksgiving.”

My muscles tense, but I can’t just rebuff her after her extensive preamble. She has outsmarted me by predicting my reaction.

“My mom will probably call me on the day,” I say.

“How about… you call your mom first,” Mimi says.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because, Nora, I am a mother and, no matter how strained your relationship with your parents may be, this must be killing them. Not being in touch with you. Not hearing from you. Do they even know about me?”

I suppose I can’t say this isn’t any of Mimi’s business anymore. We’re together now. She just told me she loved me—or was that just a sly means of manipulating me?

“For the record, I am extremely annoyed by this,” I say.

“Oh, I know.”

“It’s too hard, okay? So I just don’t do it. I don’t call. I text now and then. Half the time, they don’t even text me back. Half the time, I don’t even know whether they care or not.”

“Of course, they care.”

I shake my head. “Just because you love your kids more than anything in the world, doesn’t mean every parent does. Far from it.”

“I know that. But do you have any evidence thatyourparents don’t care?”