“Not yet.” He shook his head, not pressing me for more as we walked over to the carousel just as it dinged and began to turn. A bag slid down the metal ramp with a zip and a thump, and everyone converged to the edges of the machine with eager eyes.

I twisted my fingers together. “Thank you. For letting me come home again and all.”

He smiled down at me. “You expected us to turn you away?”

I tried to smile back. “Not exactly. But I know it hasn’t been easy having me popping in and out of your space over the last few months.”

“Your mom and I understand. I’m just glad we can be there to hold you up when you fall. Been doing it since you started walking. Feels just as good to protect you now as it did then.”

I took a deep breath and let it out.

He watched me. “You gonna tell me what this is all about?”

My eyes were on the pile of duffle bags and suitcases heading toward us. “I will.”

“Because it seems it’s more than just a simple visit.”

“Can’t a girl just miss her dad?”

“Oh, sure.” He bobbed his head. “But usually that warrants more than a six hour notice.”

I sighed. “I know. I’m sorry to derail your entire day.”

“Quit apologizing.” My bag rounded the bend, and Dad stepped up to grab it from the carousel. “Come on, kiddo. Your mom’s waiting for us at home. I think she made cookies.”

I laughed. “She would.”

“Yes, she would.”

We walked out of baggage and through the sliding doors, toward the parking lot. “How do you like the new job?”

“It feels good to be doing something productive again, you know? I feel like I’ve just been useless for ages, so going to the shelter and seeing the smiling faces of those kids makes me feel … I don’t know. Needed. Like I was making their lives better, somehow. It made me remember why I loved teaching.”

He smiled down at me. “That right there is why I’m glad you got outta here. You needed that reminder that this isn’t all there is in the world.”

“I only wish I’d gotten the job sooner.”

“And they were okay with you leaving for … how long are you staying?”

“I don’t know yet.”

He nodded. “Well, your room’s still just like you left it. Your mom can’t figure out what she wants to do with it. I think she just doesn’t want to admit that her kids have all left the roost permanently.” He gave me an apologetic smile. “Semi-permanently.”

We reached his vintage truck — a black and grey 1965 Ford F-100 — and he laid my suitcase down in the bed before we climbed in. The old truck rumbled when he started it and backed out of the spot.

We didn’t say much on the way home. I just leaned on the door and watched out the window, everything so familiar. A few weeks hadn’t changed a single thing, but everything was different. We drove into the suburbs, past the big box grocery stores and shopping strips, into the manicured neighborhood where I grew up, and came to a stop at the light into our subdivision, right across from the high school. School had just let out, and I watched the kids laughing and smiling, riding bikes, skateboarding, walking in packs. It was a walk I’d made hundreds of times with Jimmy by my side.

It was then that I wondered if coming home wasn’t another mistake.

The light changed, and we pulled into our neighborhood, into our driveway. I followed him into the house I grew up in, the house that always smelled like gardenias, thanks to the multitude of candles Mom had going almost around the clock. She stepped out of the kitchen when she heard us and flew over to me.

“Come here, baby.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “What in the world happened? Are you all right?” She backed away, still holding my arms, her bright eyes inspecting me.

“I’m … I’ll be okay, I think.”

“Well, I made cookies and sangria. You can have your pick — whichever one you think’ll make you feel better.”

“Maybe both?”

“That’s just fine too. Come on and have a seat.” She patted the bar stool at the island as she made her way to the counter.

I took a seat, watching her back as she filled the sangria glasses she’d already set out in preparation, and probably freshly hand washed, too. Because, you know, dust. She was just sort of together that way.

Dad sat down next to me.

“You want one too, Luke?” she asked and moved her curly black hair out of her face.

“Well, I don’t want to get left out,” he said with a smirk.

She smiled over her shoulder and finished pouring drinks, put them all on a tray with the cookies, and set them between all of us. She took one and leaned on the counter.

“So, tell us the story, Mags.” She took a bite of her cookie, big blue eyes watching me.

I took a drink first, then set down my glass again with my eyes on an orange slice suspended in the sweet wine. “I sorta ruined everything.”

“How do you figure?” Dad took a drink.

“Well …” I had no idea how to broach it. I shook my head. “I ran away from here to hide in New York. But I only just realized that I can’t run away from something that’s inside of me.”

“Ah,” Mom said knowingly. “Jimmy?”

“Partly. That’s the biggest part of it, I suppose. But then … I was seeing someone.”

Mom made a disapproving face.

“I know. That’s not even the worst of it.” I picked up my drink. “I was seeing Cooper Moore.” That ice-cold wine felt good going down. I felt like I needed the whole pitcher to normalize.

Dad’s brow dropped. “Pretty little rich boy, Cooper Moore? The one who won’t settle down?”

I sighed. “The very one.”

He shook his head. “No wonder you didn’t want me to talk to West.”

I slumped a little in my seat. “We tried to keep it from him, but he found out last night. I’d already ended things with Cooper. I mean, the timing was all wrong. Everything was all wrong. And then it blew up in my face. West is mad at us, even Lily because she knew. Cooper’s hurt. I’m confused. I ruined everything. It just got so complicated, and I couldn’t stay.”

Mom watched me, adding gently. “But that’s life, Maggie. It’s sticky and ugly and complicated. If you keep running away, you’ll never find your place.”

“I know.”

“What does any of that have to do with Jimmy?” she asked.

“He sent me a box of things, keepsakes, old pictures. My engagement ring. A letter. And there was no hiding from myself anymore. I just … I broke down, and I’ve been swinging like a pendulum ever since. I thought time would help, but after last night … I couldn’t stay. If it weren’t for me, none of them would be hurt.”

Dad’s lips were flat. “That son of a bitch. He’s done enough to hurt you, but he still keeps coming around like the goddamn tomcat he is, howlin’ at the back door.”

Mom gave him a look before turning to me. She handed me a cookie, which I accepted gratefully. I took a bite as she spoke. “Have you talked to Jimmy since you got the package?”

I shook my head and swallowed. “He texted me, but I hadn’t decided how to handle him.”

Dad gestured with his glass. “I’ll handle him.” He took a long sip.

“Oh, for goodness sake, Luke.” Mom rolled her eyes. “Well, now you’re here, so you have a whole new set of options when it comes to him. Think you might want to see him?”

“I don’t want to see him, no. But I might need to. I just don’t know if I’m ready yet.”

“Honey, you might not ever be ready. Doesn’t seem like you can afford to wait all that much longer.”

I took another bite of my cookie, knowing she was right.

“Do you think you might stay for good?” she asked and ate the last bite of her cookie.

“I honestly don’t know. I just knew I needed to get out of everyone’s hair because I was all tangled up in it. Scissors were the only way out.”

She dusted off her hands over the tray. “Well, your brother won’t be mad at you forever. In fact, he’s probably less mad at you than he is Cooper.”