Page 112 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

Her mouth opened in a round O and her eyes bugged out. “That’smean.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Jesse ran his hands over Brigid’s hair,feeling the gloss of it slip through his fingers. “I asked him to spend theweekend with us.”

“The whole weekend?”

“Yes.”

Her sympathy seemed to fade at that. She grit her jaw andglared up at Jesse.

“I expect you to be polite. You don’t have to like him, but…”he sighed and rubbed his fingers over his tired eyes. “It would help if youdid.”

Brigid snorted softly. “That’s what Grandma said.”

“She did?”

Brigid nodded. “She said I should be nice to him because hemakes you happy.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But what if you couldbe happy with someone else? What if Mom wakes up and you could be happy withher again?”

Jesse’s throat clenched and he put his arm around Brigid andtried to pull her close, but she shrugged away. He glanced toward Christopheron the sofa and tugged her hand until she followed him into the kitchen.

“Brigid, sit at the table with me.”

She looked like she might refuse, but then she sat, herhands going to the pile of square paper at the corner of the table and pullinga sheet off the top. Before she could begin to fold, Jesse put his hand onhers.

“Stop. I need you to listen to me.”

Brigid didn’t let go of the paper, her fingers running alongthe edge, as though daring it to cut her. Jesse gently took it away and set itaside. “B, this is serious. I need you to look at my face and really hear whatI’m saying, all right?”

Brigid nodded, but her jaw clenched again, and Jesse couldsee the resistance in the set of her shoulders and the anger in her eyes.

“Baby, your mom is never coming back. She isn’t going towake up. Not ever.”

“I know. You’ve said that before,” Brigid gritted out. “Butmiracles happen, don’t they? Aunt Ronnie says they do.”

“Ronnie talked to you about this?”

Brigid shrugged and looked down at her fingers. “No. Shejust hugs me and says I look like Mom, and then she cries. She doesn’t talk tome about…why you two fight.” Brigid met his eyes then. “But I’m not stupid, youknow. I know it’s because Aunt Ronnie won’t let Mom die and you want her dead.”

Jesse felt the words like a punch to the throat and hecouldn’t swallow, couldn’t breathe for a long minute. Finally, when he’d gaspedthrough the pain, he managed to say, “No, Brigid. No. Idon’twant your mother dead. I’d doanythingto have herback again.”

“Then why ishehere?”

Jesse shook his head, pressing the heels of his hands to hiseyes, thoughts swimming wildly. “Let’s not talk about Christopher for a minute,okay? Let’s focus on your mom first.”

Brigid stared at him, defiance in her eyes. “I want to talkabout him!” she exclaimed. “I want to know the truth. If Mom came back, wouldhe go away? Would you want to be boyfriends with him still?”

“Yes,” Jesse whispered. “I’d want to be with Christopher.”

“See? Youdowant her dead.Because ofhim.”

“No.” Jesse shook his head. “No,because it’s not either-or, Brigid. If your mother hadn’t been in anaccident…listen, this isn’t an appropriate conversation because it’s about whatcould’ve, would’ve, should’ve, and none of that matters because there is onlywhat is. Your mommy isn’t coming home, baby. She’s not, and we all have to moveon.”

“I’m going to make her come home.”

Jesse ached. “You can’t do anything to help your mother getbetter. No one can. I had the best doctors from all over the world come look ather. Grandpa Birch flew them in from Europe. I’ve seen the scans myself. Sweetbaby girl, you have to understand—”

“I don’t need doctors. I have my wish. Two wishes. One forme and one for Will.” Her eyes narrowed on him again, her lip trembling. “I wasgoing to make one for you, but you don’t want it.”

“Wishes?” Jesse remembered Christopher asking what Brigidwas wishing for, and suddenly, clarity fell on him like a ray of light breakingthrough a mass of clouds.The cranes.