Return to Emmett's Mill. Kimberly Van Meter

knowing Natalie would understand she was talking about more than just helping out around the house. “What if it’s just too much? Being here makes it real all over again.” She lowered her voice to a painful whisper. “I ran into Diane Lewis at the store.”

      Natalie’s face softened. “What did she say?”

      “Not a lot,” she admitted. “But it was incredibly awkward and…I don’t want to go through those kinds of encounters on a daily basis.”

      “I understand.” Natalie came toward her and pulled her into a fierce hug. “But you’re not alone. We’ll be with you every step, every moment. And if anyone, including Diane Lewis, even looks cross-eyed at you, we’ll handle it. You can’t keep running. We need this. You need this,” she stressed softly, sending a sharp pang straight to Tasha’s heart. “There’s more to your past than just that one ugly moment. We’re in there, too.”

      Tasha wanted to say no, but words failed her and she nodded slowly, even though her instincts told her to board the first plane to Belize, back to the place where no one knew her secrets or wanted to know more than she was willing to share. Where no one expected her to face a past that she’d willfully buried under layers of denial, anger and grief.

      Her sisters were asking more than she could give.

      Yet, she felt her head nod. “Fine,” she whispered, turning to leave but adding a caveat for sanity’s sake. “Only until things are settled. No exceptions.”

      “It must be nice to be able to drop limitations on your family. Makes me wonder if you do the same thing to your people in the Peace Corps,” Nora said, returning to the room, her eyes hot. “I’ll bet you trip all over yourself to help out when it doesn’t involve us.”

      Tasha drew back in stricken silence, unable to breathe from the pain in her heart from Nora’s attack. But it was true. Tasha ran herself ragged when she was working, trying to dull the constant hurt she carried with her from day to day. Her mouth worked but nothing came out, words failed her. If only she had the courage to explain. Tasha was spared the effort for Natalie whirled on Nora, surprising them both.

      “Stop it! I’ve had enough of your snap judgments on a person you hardly know.”

      “Why are you taking her side?” Nora wailed. “Ever since she got here she’s been trying to skip out on us like we’ve got the goddamned plague! Why are you defending her?”

      Tasha started to say something, but Natalie stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. Natalie drew a deep breath, and when she began again, her tone softened. “She’s agreed to stay long enough to help us get things settled with Dad. Just stop treating her like she’s the enemy. She’s our sister. Try to remember that fact.”

      The glitter in Nora’s eyes betrayed the hurt she was feeling, but her expression hardened just the same. “Yeah, well somebody ought to remind her of that fact, too,” she spat, then turned and grabbed her own jacket. “Food’s put away. I’m outta here.”

      “Nora…” Tasha managed to croak her sister’s name but the rest died on her lips. Their father’s snores filtered down the hallway and she was glad he hadn’t witnessed their meltdown. She met Natalie’s weary look. “I don’t want to come between you two. You guys are close and I don’t want to ruin it. She has a right to be angry.”

      “I agree,” Natalie said quietly. “But she takes it to another level. That’s her way with most things, but it shouldn’t be the way she is with you. The good news is her temper usually burns out as quickly as it fires. Give it a little time. She’ll come around.”

      “I don’t know, Nat.” Tasha shook her head wearily. “I don’t think there’s enough time in the world for Nora to get over her issues with me.”

      Natalie crooked a thin smile. “Ye of little faith,” she said, adding ruefully, “Then again, you might be right.”

      Tasha’s mouth curved for a moment. “Thanks, Nat. Thanks for…everything.”

      “What are sisters for?” Natalie joked softly before checking her watch. “It’s late. I better get going and make sure Evan put Colton to bed.”

      “He’s such a sweet little boy,” Tasha murmured, watching as Natalie shrugged into her coat. “You’re lucky to have him.”

      Natalie smiled, the first bright and genuine one Tasha had seen on her sister’s face since arriving in Emmett’s Mill. They walked to the door in silence until Natalie, hand on the doorknob, stopped with a sad contemplative look. “You know, I never realized how Mom kept us all connected. She was the common thread. Now I guess it falls to you.”

      “Oh, God, Nat. Don’t set me up to fail. I think I’ve disappointed enough people to last a lifetime,” she said around the lump of fear in her throat.

      Natalie ran the back of her hand lovingly against her cheek and graced her with a sweet smile that spoke of her confidence in Tasha and said, “You won’t fail. It’s not in your nature. You’re a leader… always have been and always will be.”

      Tasha stared, struggling under the weight of her sister’s belief and her own denial, but most of all, she wasn’t sure if she wanted her sister to be right or wrong.