She glanced up. “I am. I just… I thought he was an old man.”
Relief flooded Cooper. “That was my agent’s idea.”
“Oh.” His mother tightened her grip on his fingers. “His books…your books. They’re just so damn emotional, and I…” She gulped in a big breath and shuddered, and there was a new understanding on her face. “Long Time Gone was about Holly, wasn’t it?”
Hearing her name was like a gunshot to the chest. His body immediately tensed. Funny how the past still affected him. “Yes.”
His mother slid her hands up to his shoulders and hugged him. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I had no idea you were hurting so badly.” She rested against his chest. “After your father died, I was kind of lost. For a very long time. I used alcohol
and men to forget, and for that, I’m sorry. I had you boys to watch out for, and I didn’t do a very good job of it.”
Something shifted then, and he glanced at his brother. His face was serious, and Cooper had a feeling the hammer was about to fall.
Isabel extracted herself from Cooper and got to her feet. She took a few steps and then turned to face both her sons. She stood there for a long time, looking down at them.
“You’ve both grown into the kind of men your father would have been proud of. I want you to know that.” She smiled as her gaze moved from Maverick to Cooper. “I see him in both of you, and I just wish…” Her smile faltered, and Cooper sprang to his feet.
“Mom,” he said gently. “What’s going on?” Maverick got up and stood beside Cooper.
She smiled at them and took one step forward so that she could nestle against both her boys.
“I wish I’d been a better mother to you. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to get my house in order. I wish…” Her voice broke, and it was obvious she was very upset.
“Mom?” Cooper couldn’t breathe. Could barely get the words out.
“Sometimes things happen,” she whispered, her voice wavering.
“What’s going on?” Maverick spoke thickly.
She gripped his brother’s hand and offered a small smile. “Sometimes the things that happen can make a person look back and see the wrong in her life. And sometimes, if that person is listening, they get a second chance to make things right.” She exhaled slowly.
“Four months ago, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease.”
“Jesus,” Cooper whispered harshly.
She reached for him. “It’s okay. I’m okay.” She glanced at both of her sons. “I’m one of the lucky ones. It was stage one, I’ve already had radiation, and my prognosis is positive.”
“Why did you wait until now to tell us?” Maverick’s face darkened, and he glanced at Cooper.
“It probably sounds silly, but I didn’t want either of you to worry. I knew my situation wasn’t dire, and for once in my life, I felt like I had to deal with something on my own. I came home from the doctor’s and told Teddy we were over. I had a lot of time to reflect, and what I realized was that ever since your father passed away, I’ve been merely existing. Using men as a buffer between myself and life. I’m done with that. It’s time for me to live my life the way I was meant to.” She paused. “To live my life the way your father would have wanted me to. I started cleaning house, and Teddy was the first thing to go.”
“Okay, but you’re gonna be fine? What kind of treatment plan are we looking at?” All Cooper could think about was cancer. He didn’t give a rat’s ass about Teddy or the fact that his mother had been noticeably absent most of his adult life.
“I’ve already had treatment, like I told you boys. I’m one of the lucky ones, if you can use that term with the word cancer. Right now I’m concentrating on being healthy and making up for lost time. Which brings me to tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow?” Cooper managed to ask.
She nodded. “Yes. Apparently it’s half-price Monday at the diner in town, and I’d like both of you to take me out for chowder. No more watching my waist or counting calories. From what I’ve heard, it’s the best chowder around.” With that, she pressed one last kiss onto both of them and headed for the stairs. She paused before taking the first one, though she didn’t turn around when she spoke.
“No one else in the family knows. I’d like to keep it that way. You know your Auntie Virginia. She’d be down here on the next plane, and then none of us would get any peace.”
Cooper watched his mother until she disappeared from sight. His stomach was tight, his nerves all shot to hell. He glanced at his brother. “I guess we gotta trust she’s not leaving anything out?”
Maverick sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “She seems good. Tired but good.”
Cooper nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
A heartbeat passed. “Okay.”