At noon, they headed to Mason’s house, their computer bags and a suitcase of Rhy’s clothes packed into the back of the truck. Mason watched Rhy carefully during the drive, but he seemed okay. Not panicked or anything, just desperately sad.

Mason didn’t realize Rhy hadn’t seen his mother even once in nine years. Mason just assumed that she had gone to Rhy’s grandparents’ funerals alongside his dad. But she hadn’t. Rhy seemed to think that meant she hated him. Mason wasn’t so sure.

Maybe she just didn’t trust herself—because some part of her loved him and wanted him back, and she wasn’t sure she could be strong.

But even if that was true…her actions that morning had shown her true nature. She wasn’t willing to fight for Heather and Travis, just like she hadn’t been willing to fight for Rhy when he was a teenager.

Mason had thought she must be a courageous person to have left Slovakia to come to the U.S. as a young woman. But maybe that had been an act of cowardice, too. Instead of facing the troubles in her family, she had run away. Rhy didn’t even know his relatives there.

As the ground leveled off at the outskirts of town, Mason said, “This may sound weird, so please don’t take it the wrong way. But maybe, in some sense, you were lucky to get out when you did.”

Rhy was silent a moment. “I’ve wondered that sometimes, too. Was it worse for me, or worse for my brother and sister to be stuck in that house? I wish I knew the answer. The fact I don’t is horrifying.”

At the house, they all gathered around the dining room table. Rhy explained what had happened. Heather seemed distraught that their mother had put Rhy through that. Travis, though, was more concerned she might come back.

“I gave my statement to the police.” Rhy slid the salt shaker back and forth between his hands. “To be honest, she didn’t seem desperate enough to do anything harmful.”

“So now that you’ve left your parents’ house,” Mason said to Heather and Travis, “what’s the plan? Are you just running away, or are you running toward something?”

The two looked at one another, and Travis said, “Rhy is the plan. Our parents made us choose—Rhy or them. We chose Rhy.”

Heather turned thoughtful. “I chose Rhy, and I chose myself. I won’t live by their rules anymore. They don’t love me. They just want to control me.”

“Heather’s right,” Travis said. “There’s no bond of love there. In either direction. The fact that they gave birth to us doesn’t make them family.”

“You don’t think your parents love you?” Mason asked him.

“Not like parents should,” Travis said. “There’s attachment. They care about our well-being, but on their terms, not ours. If my mother had to choose between me or herself, she would choose herself. I watched her do it with Rhy.”

“I’ve thought a lot about this, Mase,” Heather said. “Our parents don’t get special consideration because of a biological act. They brought us into the world, but they didn’t look out for our well-being. As far as I’m concerned, I’m absolved of any duties as their child.”

“Will you still feel that way ten years from now?” Rhy asked. “Or will you look back with regret? Think carefully. This is a pivotal moment in your lives.”

“The pivotal moment was when Dad forced you out of the house,” Travis said, “and Mom didn’t stop him. That’s when our family was destroyed. The vine has been withering ever since. Heather and I have finally dropped off and landed on fertile ground. Now it’s time for us to grow.”

 

***

 

On Sunday, Travis and Heather followed Rhy and Mason to church. As Mason drove, Rhy watched in the side mirror, reassuring himself that his brother and sister were still there. Heather had been looking forward to the service all week, but he worried that when it came down to it, the stress would be too much for her.

In the three days since Rhy had moved back in with Mason, the four of them were starting to feel like a family. Still, they were all a bit wary. Heather wasn’t as tough as she seemed on the outside—that hard shell protected some deep wounds. It would be a while before she was okay.

They parked next to each other on the asphalt that baked in the bright sun. They got out of the cars and into the thick, humid air. Heather looked around as if assessing the situation.

“You’ll be okay.” Rhy put his arm around her. “There are good people here.”

They found Mason’s parents in the vestibule, and Maggie introduced Heather and Travis to everyone who happened past. Maggie was big on physical contact, but the two never shied away. As cold as Austin and Elena were, maybe his brother and sister were starved for touch.

They stepped into the nave to take their seats. The sermon was on the power of forgiveness, and Rhy saw tears on Heather’s face more than once. He put his arm around her. It would be a long time before she could let go of her anger toward their parents. As the pastor said, forgiveness was a process, not just an act.

After the service, they left the church and headed toward the parking lot. Heather stopped dead. “I don’t believe it.”

Rhy looked over. His father was standing by Travis’s car.

Fury rose inside him, but it wasn’t an impotent fury this time. In full fight-or-flight mode, Rhy rushed toward the man who had destroyed his life—who now threatened Rhy’s brother and sister. “Back away. They don’t want to see you.”

Austin’s face was dark with anger, his jaw firm. Like Elena, he looked older than his years. He had no laugh lines around his mouth, just deep furrows in his brow and forehead, his features frozen in a perpetual scowl.

As usual, he didn’t make eye contact. Acting as if Rhy didn’t exist, he stalked toward Heather and Travis.

Rhy ran around him and placed his body between Austin and siblings. Travis was fit, but he wasn’t as strong as Rhy. If Austin turned violent, he’d have to get through Rhy, and Rhy was pretty sure he could take an out-of-shape fifty-year-old man.

“Stay away from them. I mean it.” Rhy stared him down. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you threaten them.”

Austin craned his neck to look around Rhy. “Kids, I just want you to come home.”

Maggie stepped up next to Rhy. “Austin, I think you must remember me. I’m Maggie Kane, of the Kane Agency? I understand that you’re distressed. But your children are well, I promise. My husband or I check in on them nearly every day.”

“Your company black-balled me.” Rage seethed in Austin’ voice. “Your agents won’t do business with me.”

“That’s unfortunate, but Rhy is my son.” She put her arm around him. “If I have to choose between business and family, I always choose family.”

“How is he your son?” Austin turned red-faced, his voice frantic.

“He and my son Mason are partners. That makes him my family, and his brother and sister, too. I’ll make sure they’re looked after.”

“How dare you interfere with my children?” He spat the words at her, his voice thick with fury. “Kids, come home. Your mother is worried sick.”

“She shouldn’t be,” Heather said. “We’re not her concern anymore. The parenting portion of your lives is over. We’re adults now, and we’re done. You don’t have any say over us.”

“Heather, that’s no way to talk to your father.”

She laughed hollowly. “You’re not my father. You’re my sperm donor. I’m ashamed to even share your DNA.”

“I won’t tolerate that language—”

“You won’t tolerate it? There’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Leave, now. If you come near me again, I’ll take out a restraining order.”

Sheriff Corelli stepped over and said, “Is there a problem here?”

“Sheriff,” Austin said. “Please help. These are my children.”

Corelli looked at them. “Are they under eighteen?”

“No, but—”

“The young lady asked you to leave her alone.”

“I don’t feel safe with him,” Heather said.

Austin shook his head. “I’ve never been violent with any of my children—”

“You physically removed a fifteen-year-old from his home because he told his mother he had a crush on a boy. You locked him out of the house without a penny in his pockets.” Her voice cracked. “You think that’s not violent?”

Tears rolled down her pale cheeks. “I’ve lived in fear since I was eleven years old that you would do the same to me, if I did something you didn’t like. I wish Rhy had pressed charges, and you’d gone to prison—so I could have seen that what you did was a crime.”

“He’s an abomination.”

“He was a child.” She shook her head. “I won’t be part of your life again. You’ll never see your grandchildren, because children aren’t safe with you. And when you’re alone on your deathbed, I hope you remember this day. You destroyed your family—because you’re a sociopath.”

“Actually, Mom’s the sociopath,” Travis said. “She doesn’t care who she hurts. Dad’s a psychopath. He takes pleasure in hurting people.”

“You’re my children. I have rights—”

“We’re adults,” Travis said. “You have no rights.”

“What about that car—”

“That car is in my name. It doesn’t belong to you.”

“You can’t control us with money,” Heather said. “Rhy inherited everything from Granddad.”

Austin’s jaw dropped, his eyes wide.

“Oh, look at you, all surprised we know the truth.” Heather’s voice mocked him. “Granddad set up a trust to support us through college. He wanted us to be free if he wasn’t here to look after us. He wanted to keep us safe from you.”

Austin’s composure started to crack. Like all bullies, he was insecure at his core. The reminder of his father’s distrust still had power over him.

“Your parents knew what a monster you are,” Heather said, “and your children do too. So I guess that leaves you with your wife. She’s also a monster. The two of you should go off and live in your ogre swamp, and leave the rest of us alone.”

Austin just stared. It was almost comical, his shock at his daughter’s contempt for him. As a little girl, Heather had always been quiet and submissive in their father’s presence. Rhy imagined she had stayed that way through her teen years. She was good at giving people what they wanted in order to get what she wanted. But she obviously wanted nothing from Austin anymore, and she was done pretending.

The sheriff took Austin aside. After a few minutes of conversation, Austin nodded and went on his way.

Rhy realized that Maggie’s arm was still around him. His eyes filled with tears, and she hugged him. “Thank you,” he said. “You don’t know what it means to have a mom again.”

“Oh, Rhy.” Maggie started to cry, and the rest of the family closed in for a group hug. Sheriff Corelli came back over but gave them a moment.

Rhy broke away and shook the sheriff’s hand. “Thank you.”

“Young lady,” he asked Heather, “is there anything you need?”

“I’m fine. If he bothers me again, I’ll take out a restraining order.”

“I need to sell the car,” Travis said. “Trade it in for one he doesn’t recognize.”

“Not a bad idea,” Rhy said.

“Y’all have a good Sunday, then,” the sheriff said.

“Thank you, Tony,” Maggie said.

“Anything for you, Mags.” He grinned, and she blushed.

As he walked away, Heather became agitated. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make a scene like that.”

“Your father is the one who made a scene,” Gus said.

Tears filled her eyes. “We just came from a sermon on forgiveness, and I—”

“Forgiveness doesn’t mean you allow someone to harm you,” Maggie said. “You stood up to a man who bullied you your whole life. You should be proud of yourself. I’m sure your brothers are.”

Travis wrapped his arms around Heather and held her tight. “Don’t be ashamed of saying what needed to be said. You’re a kind, caring person.”

“You must be,” Mason added. “Dora loves you, and dogs are good judges of character.”

Rhy cracked up, then shook his head, the tension of the moment dissipating. “You and that dog.”

“You love her and you know it.”

“I do. How could anyone not love that dog? She’s almost as cute as you are.”

Mason slid his arm around Rhy’s waist. “I’m grateful we all found each other.”

“I am, too.” Maggie patted Heather’s back. “I understand you’re training to be a chef. I hope you don’t mind helping with Sunday dinner.”

Heather arched her brows and smiled. “Of course. I’d love to.”

Rhy looked at Maggie, his respect for her growing by the moment. Her words resonated in his mind. Rhy is my son. He hadn’t heard those words in almost a decade. For the first time in ages, he felt whole.