Down Home and Deadly

to see it.”
    “Then he told me that if I chose not to tell the kids about Travis, he would respect that, because he wasn’t going to throw away our happiness by being stubborn.”
    “I knew my future brother-in-law was a great guy.”
    “He’s a wise man, too,” she said softly. “I’ve been praying hard about it , and I’ve decided to tell them. And Mama and Daddy.”
    “Oh, Carly . . . ” Relief coursed through me. “I’m proud of you.”
    “Thanks, but I want more than your admiration. I want your support.”
    I turned my signal on and negotiated the turn into my driveway. “Name the time and place. I don’t have to go into the gym until three tomorrow. And if I need to, I can get someone to cover for me.”
    “Tomorrow morning for breakfast.”
    I killed the motor. “At the diner?” Strange place for a family meeting.
    She laughed. “Since Alice and Harvey only have a couple more days, I’m letting them handle the Saturday morning crowd alone. I’m cooking at my place.”
    “You sure you don’t want me to pick up some bacon biscuits?”
    “Cooking will help me stay calm. Just come hungry.”
    *****
    The next morning when I got to Carly’s cabin, she met me at the kitchen door.
    “Calm yet?” I murmured as I wiped flour from her face.
    She wrinkled her nose at me. “I’m glad you’re here. I can’t decide whether to tell them about the engagement after I tell them the other or not.”
    “Why don’t you just play it by ear? Is Elliott coming?”
    She shook her head. “He thought the kids—especially Zac—would be able to show their true feelings better if he wasn’t here.”
    “He’s probably right.” Zac had been ten when his dad left , and even though he seemed to be crazy about Elliott, he’d need time to grieve.
    “The twins will be—”
    A knock on the door sounded in the middle of Carly’s sentence.
    “—fine,” she said as she went to let Mama and Daddy in.
    Mama held out a glass bottle of orange juice. “Fresh squeezed,” she said and hugged Carly.
    “She squeezed it herself,” Daddy assured us.
    I stared from Mama to Carly. “Why didn’t I get any of those genes?”
    “No one wants a carbon copy of themselves, dear,” Mama said. “You’re unique.” She started pulling glasses from the cabinet for the orange juice. “Speaking of which, are y’all going to Tiffany’s shower this afternoon?”
    “Yes,” I said. “We both are.” Carly had protested, but I’d insisted.
    “Want me to pick you up?” Carly asked her.
    “Sure.”
    “Jenna?”
    “I need to go on to the club to work after the shower, so I’ll take my own car.”
    The twins came bounding in. “Is breakfast ready?”
    Carly nodded. “Go get your brother and go to the table.”
    Forty-five minutes later, we’d all finished our bacon, sausage, eggs, and homemade biscuits. Zac pushed back from the table. “I’ve got to go, Mom. I’m supposed to meet the guys at the basketball court.”
    Carly held up her hand and laid her napkin down. “Not yet. Let’s all go in the living room.” She stood.
    Zac frowned. “Why?”
    “Just because,” she said softly.
    “Don’t you want us to clean off the table first?” Rachel asked.
    “No,” Carly said. “We’ll do it later.”
    “Uh-oh,” I heard Hayley whisper as we made our way into the other room. “It must be something bad.”
    In the living room, the twins sank to the floor with their backs against the paneled wall. Zac slumped spinelessly in an overstuffed chair. I sat beside Mama and Daddy on the sofa.
    Carly stood in front of the blank TV and faced us. She gave a nervous half laugh. “I know now why people start off by saying , ‘ T here’s no easy way to say this.’ Because there’s really not.”
    Daddy put his arm around Mama and gave Carly a gentle smile. “Honey, bad news usually goes better quickly. If it’s good, then you can drag it out.”
    She stared at him as if absorbing his words. “Okay then.” She looked at the kids. “It’s about your dad, Travis.”
    The twins looked mildly curious, but Zac snapped to attention. I heard an indrawn breath from Mama. Daddy tightened his arm around her shoulders.
    “What about him?” Zac’s voice was as brittle as ice, his face expressionless.
    Carly looked one more time at Daddy as if weighing his advice, then looked back at Zac. “He’s dead, honey.”
    Zac’s stern demeanor melted. His eyes widened , and he looked like he was going to be sick.