My chest felt tight. I was feeling hopeful and furious all at the same time. He pulled the door open. The lights flicked on.
“HAPPY—” Carter yelled out, but then totally froze when he caught the look on my face.
Mason suddenly looked so guilty it made my stomach churn. Brooke’s face turned into pure panic. Tessa put her hands over her mouth. Julian went completely white.
The big sign said, “HAPPY 60TH MOM.” They had balloons. Party streamers. A cake that looked pretty pricey. And five of my kids just standing there like they were waiting for a punchline.
I stood there perfectly still. Then my voice came out quiet but cutting. “So you guys were all here.”
Mason stepped up quickly. “Mom, hold on.”
“I waited for four hours,” I said. “Four.”
Carter blurted out, “We really weren’t ignoring you.”
Tessa got tears in her eyes. “We figured…”
Brooke snapped, “Why is there a police officer with you? What’s going on?”
I just looked around at all their faces.
“I sat all by myself at that dining table,” I told them. “Looking like a total fool.”
