Page 57 of Hearts Aweigh

“M ARRY ME , S PENCE . A GAIN .”

Spencer stopped at the door of his suite and looked over his shoulder, half expecting Priscilla to be thundering down on him. He hadn’t seen her since they parted ways after supper the previous evening.

Again.

The word terrified him in a way no horror movie ever could. He leaned his head against the wall and moaned. “God, please deliver me from this nightmare.”

It wasn’t that he’d actually consider remarrying Priscilla. The hard-earned lessons from their first time were still fresh in his mind. But there was Madeleine to consider. Once Priscilla the pit bull got something into her head, she hung on till the end.

He didn’t want Maddie to suffer because of her mother’s ambition and ruthless determination. His breath wavered. He uttered one more prayer before entering the suite.

Quiet reigned.

Not a sign of Priscilla or Madeleine. Or Abby.

Should he try to find them or wait? Spencer paced from the door to the window and back. Two more circuits and the little patience he possessed was gone.

A delicate knock sounded behind him. He opened the door to find Daisy.

“Hello, Spencer. Are you alone this morning?”

“It appears so.” He ushered her in, then closed the door. “How can I help you?”

“If you recall, I mentioned there was something I had to tell you.”

She stood with the same demeanor he’d seen when cross-examining guilty parties. What subject would make his unflappable mother so nervous? Were the Shippers sneaking around again?

Spencer tried to keep a straight face. “Please, take a seat.” He motioned to the couch.

“No, thank you.” Her hands gripped the front of her black shirt. “I imagine you won’t desire my company once you hear what I have to say.”

Who was the parent and who was the child? Would he have to send her to bed without supper? “That’s a shame. We were starting to get along so well.” His attempt to lighten the mood was met with a sigh.

“I’m serious, Spencer.”

“Okay.” He crossed his arms and waited.

Daisy kept her eyes averted. Her teeth gnawed at her lower lip. She inhaled. “I have a confession to make.”

Yes. It must be the meddling Shippers. He braced himself, wondering what trouble his mother and her friends had caused now.

“Once”—she gulped—“a very long time ago … I betrayed my wedding vows.”

Her words punched him in the gut. He was well aware the union between his parents hadn’t been a happy one, but he’d never expected Daisy to reveal the torrid details.

He put some distance between them. “There are certain topics a man and his mother shouldn’t discuss. I may be an adult, but personal details of your relationship with my father should remain between the two of you.”

“I realize this is difficult to hear—”

“Then why force me to listen? I don’t. Want. To know.”

Daisy stood with bowed head, her voice barely audible. “I was unfaithful to your father.”

Spencer’s hands clenched. If his ears had volume control buttons, he would hit Mute and free himself from this forced confession.

His mother continued in a broken wisp of a voice.

“It was only once. On a trip to Europe. Long before you were born. I was angry with Julius for … something. But the entire experience made me want to curl up and die. I should have never—no matter what he did, it doesn’t excuse my choices.

” She whispered the last words. “I’m so sorry. ”

He filled in the unspoken details. His father’s infidelities had been frequent and many. Spencer had always assumed his mother was either unaware or didn’t care enough to confront him. To find out she’d indulged in adultery herself drilled Spencer’s soul.

An upstairs door slammed, followed by a light patter of feet. “Daddy!”

Spencer and Daisy swerved to find Madeleine peeking over the balcony. The adults exchanged dismayed glances. Had she heard their conversation?

Madeleine hurried to the steps and stopped at the top. “Is Abby down there? We’re playing hide-and-seek again.”

He scanned the living room, but the cheerful nanny was nowhere in sight. Was she upstairs? Or hiding in the office?

“I don’t see her,” he called to Madeleine. “But I … I have something important to do. Can you wait in your bedroom until I’m finished?”

Her golden eyebrows puckered in confusion, but she didn’t argue. “Yes, sir.” Madeleine returned to her room and shut the door behind her.

Spencer took Daisy by the elbow and gently propelled her to the door. “We should finish this conversation another time.”

“Yes, of course, you’re right.”

They stopped at the entryway. Daisy kept her voice low. “I would have never told you, but … but someone is blackmailing me.”

Would the unwelcome revelations never end?

“Blackmail?” he scoffed. “On a cruise ship?”

“I don’t know how the person found out, but they threatened to reveal everything to my son if I didn’t pay them in cash.

I decided to disempower the wretch and confess.

First, to the Lord. Then to you.” She stood with posture erect, years of Southern etiquette lending her dignity even amid the ugly circumstances.

“God’s forgiven me. I hope you can too.”

Forgive her?

He wanted to laugh. Hadn’t he suffered enough as a child?

The best part of reaching adulthood was winning the right to distance himself from his unfeeling parents.

His marriage to Priscilla had been the last time he’d allowed his father to exert any pressure on him.

After the separation, Spencer had found refuge in the heavenly Father’s unconditional love, which came without any stipulations.

Learning to show that same love was a challenge, but wasn’t forgiveness something God asked his children to give freely?

Spencer doubted he was capable. He opened the door. “We’ll discuss this later.”

Daisy cleared her throat. “I realize this is both painful and unexpected news. I’ll give you time to process.” She hesitated. “I don’t deserve it, but I hope you can forgive me for this and all the other times I failed as a mother.”

She exited so quickly that the front door caught on one of the rugs, but she didn’t notice.

It remained ajar, and Spencer stared at the spot she’d vacated.

A tsunami rose inside him. Waves of hurt, disappointment, and fury crashed through his brain.

Stomping away from the open door, he looked around for an object close enough to throw.

The sight of hot pink toenails peeking out from under the dining room curtains stopped him cold.

Abby hid behind the curtains, her hands pressed to her cheeks. She’d eavesdropped on the most embarrassing conversation a mother and son could have. It was an accident, but Spencer would not be happy.

Lord, I’m at a loss. How do I get out of here without him seeing me? Or should I admit I heard everything?

Spencer’s footsteps sounded as he stalked to the window. She froze, lips pressed together, breaths shallow.

Hide or confess? Which one?

She wasn’t the secretive sort. Before she could chicken out, she pushed the curtains aside. Her flustered hands tangled in the fabric as she made herself known.

“I-I’m so sorry.” She stepped out into the room.

“I promise I wasn’t listening on purpose.

We were playing hide-and-seek.” She allowed her gaze to settle on Spencer.

He wasn’t even looking at her as he stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“I should’ve made my presence known, but I didn’t expect you to talk about … I mean … I …”

She ran out of words.

Spencer remained where he was, emotion radiating like a nuclear core.

Abby backed away. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll check on Maddie.” She bolted upstairs and poked her head in the bedroom door. “Maddie, where are you?”

“I’m going potty,” Maddie’s voice answered from the side bathroom. “Almost done.”

Oh, how Abby wished she’d taken a bathroom break and missed the drama downstairs. If there was a machine to erase the last ten minutes from her memory, she’d buy it.

Abby clasped her fingers together and pressed them to her forehead. God, please. Help Spencer. Please. His heart must have a hole the size of a dump truck.

She was tempted to use Maddie as an excuse to stay out of sight, but there were things left to be said.

“Sweetie,” she called, “can you stay in your room when you finish?”

She gave a disappointed whimper. “For how long?”

“Just a few minutes. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Abby made her way to the ground floor, where Spencer stood in the exact same spot. The whir of the air conditioner was the lone noise. Approaching quietly, she skirted the table and stood to his left. His hands were locked behind him, his face an unreadable mask.

Abby witnessed the aftermath of this familial train wreck with shamed reluctance. “I imagine you don’t want to talk about this, but please let me say one thing. Be assured I will never discuss what I overheard with anyone.” She licked her lips. “I-I’ll go now.”

She turned away.

“Wait.” His voice was quiet.

That word again. But this time she couldn’t ignore it. This time she stayed.

He didn’t look at her. “I know we aren’t on the best of terms, but”—his jaw tensed—“I could really use a hug right now.” He drew himself taller like he was bracing for rejection.

Abby ached to hold him. Still, she hesitated.

It was a bad idea for a boatload of reasons. Big trouble awaited if she fraternized with a passenger. And her peace of mind might disintegrate if she allowed this man any closer. But his tortured expression beckoned her.

Don’t do it!