Chapter 50 The visit

Chapter 50 The visit
"That’s her car," Ethan said, pulling into the driveway.  
Emily looked up from her notes. "Whose?"  
"My mom’s," Ethan said.  
Emily froze. "Your mom? Here? Now?"  
"She texted ten minutes ago," Ethan said. "Said she was in town. Wanted to see Liam."  
"And us?" Emily asked.  
Ethan cut the engine. "Probably."  
Liam was already at the door when they walked in. "Grandma!"  
"Hey baby," Diane hugged him. Then she looked at Emily. Then at Ethan. "Hi."  
"Hi," Emily said.  
Silence.  
Diane set her bag down. "Can we talk? All of us?"  
"Kitchen table," Ethan said.  
They sat.  
"I read the article," Diane started. "Both of them."  
Emily nodded. "Okay."  
"I’m not here to fight," Diane said. "I’m here to ask you something."  
"Ask," Ethan said.  
"Is this real?" Diane asked. "Or is this because the board and the press?"  
Emily opened her mouth. Closed it.  
Ethan answered first. "It’s real. It’s messy. It’s hard. But it’s real."  
Diane looked at Emily. "And you?"  
Emily met her eyes. "I spent years running from this. I’m done running. I want this. With him. With Liam. Even on the bad days."  
Diane exhaled. "Okay."  
"Okay?" Ethan said.  
"Okay," Diane said. "Then I’m going to say something and you’re going to listen. You hurt each other before. Bad. Don’t do it again. Not in front of him."  
"We won’t," Emily said.  
"We’re trying not to," Ethan added.  
"Good," Diane said. She stood. "Now. Where’s my grandson? I brought cookies."  
Liam came running. "Cookies!"  
Diane knelt. "For the best team, right?"  
"The best team," Liam said.  
Later, after cookies and a movie, Diane pulled Emily aside.  
"You look tired," she said.  
"I am," Emily admitted.  
"Are you happy?" Diane asked.  
Emily thought about it. "Yeah. Tired and happy. That’s new."  
Diane nodded. "Then keep it. Fight for it."  
"I am," Emily said.  
Diane hugged her. Quick and firm. "I’m proud of you, kid."  
When Diane left, Ethan locked the door.  
"Well," he said.  
"Well," Emily said.  
Liam yawned from the couch. "Is Grandma mad?"  
"No, buddy," Ethan said. "Grandma’s not mad."  
"Good," Liam said. "She liked the pancakes."  
Ethan laughed. "She did."  
After Liam was in bed, Emily and Ethan sat on the floor.  
"That went better than I thought," Ethan said.  
"I thought she’d yell," Emily said.  
"She wanted to," Ethan said. "She didn’t."  
Emily leaned on him. "Rule 7?"  
"Good: Your mom didn’t kill us," Ethan said. "Hard: I was scared. Better: You told the truth."  
Emily nodded. "Good: We’re still here. Hard: Everyone has opinions. Better: Their opinions don’t live here."  
Ethan kissed her hair. "Rule 8?"  
"We choose us," Emily said. "Out loud."  
"Out loud," Ethan said.  
His phone buzzed. Unknown number.  
He read it. "It’s a reporter. Wants a comment on Diane’s visit."  
Emily groaned. "Of course."  
Ethan typed back. "No comment. We’re having dinner."  
He hit send. Then turned the phone off.  
Emily smiled. "Dinner?"  
"Burnt pasta," Ethan said. "Extra special."  
"I’ll take it," Emily said.  
They ate at the table. No phones.  
Liam’s drawing was still on the fridge.  
The schedule had pizza stains.  
And for the first time, no one was asking them to explain anything.