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Francine set the box of crème-filled doughnuts and napkins on the coffee table, stripped off her coat, and tossed it on one of the blue-upholstered Queen Anne chairs opposite of the couch before she carefully sat on the other chair.
“How are you keeping Edward and Justine out?” she asked.
“I told them you were already here, and we needed some privacy to talk about Soccer Mom stuff,” Penny said.
“Are Justine and Brittany still playing soccer?” Laura brightened. “That’s cool. There were so many stupid restrictions on girls in sports when I was their age.”
“Yes, they are, and they’re loving it.” Francine opened the box. “I hope you don’t mind, but I haven’t had breakfast yet.” She reached for a doughnut. “And I’m starving.”
“Crap,” Penny murmured. “You should have taken the time to eat.” She jumped up from the couch. “I can warm up last night’s chicken and rice casserole. Or would you prefer scrambled eggs and bacon?”
Francine held up a hand. “I’m good. I’ve got an extra box of Long Johns in my minivan. Just in case.”
Penny slowly sat back down.
Francine held out the box to Laura. “Want one?”
“Those look so good.” Laura reached out, then jerked back her hand. “Oh, my god. My hands are filthy. I should wash up—”
“No need to leave.” Francine set the box back on the coffee table and fished the canister of wet wipes out of her tote. “Clean your hands and face. These are organic with all natural cleansers.” When Laura took the canister, Francine pulled out a plastic shopping bag from her tote’s side pocket.
“Are you sure you’re not one of Ed’s kids from another woman?” Laura said.
Francine shot a look at Penny.
“She’s joking,” Penny said. “I think.”
“Of course, I’m joking.” Laura looked at Penny like she’d grown a second head.
Once Laura cleaned her hands and face, she looked…alive, and much younger than Francine remembered from the funeral. She held open the plastic bag for Laura to deposit the used wipes. Her skin felt warm when their fingers brushed.
“I don’t understand why I can’t see my own husband.” Laura selected a chocolate Long John and took a bite. She chewed normally and swallowed her mouthful.
Once again, Francine exchanged a look with Penny. “We have to tell her the truth.”
“Oh, my god.” Penny’s head dropped into her palms. “Edward, Gene, and Theo are going to freak. And Justine’s been through enough.”
Laura finished her Long John, took a napkin, and dabbed the chocolate frosting and crème filling from the corners of her mouth. She gave Penny a measured look. “I already know someone else is living in my house. You’d better start from the top and explain everything, young lady, before I make a scene. Then everybody will know I’m here.”
Penny seemed frozen in place. The last thing they needed was for her mother-in-law to make good on her threat.
Francine cleared her throat. “What’s the last thing you remember, Laura?”
She blinked, then frowned. “That’s odd. I-I was in a hospital I think.” She looked at Penny again. “Did I have a stroke?”
Penny shook her head. “Do you remember being diagnosed with cancer?”
“I was?” Laura’s eyes widened. “I remember Justine having leukemia in first grade, but I don’t…” Worry creased her forehead.
“You had ovarian cancer,” Francine said gently.
“B-but I always had my check-ups,” Laura protested.
Francine glanced at Penny, but after the last three weeks, her practical friend had hit the proverbial wall. Francine cleared her throat.
“You had a very aggressive form,” she said gently. “The hospital you remember is probably the hospice you had to go to when the tumors in your brain made you unable to perform basic tasks.”
“We kept you at home as long as possible, Laura,” Penny blurted. “But you needed around the clock care. It was killing Edward. I’m the one who pressed the hospice issue, so please don’t blame Edward, Gene, or Theo.”
“I died, didn’t I?” Laura said. Penny couldn’t look at her mother-in-law.
“Yes,” Francine answered.
“I don’t understand.” Laura frowned. “I mean I believe in God…”
“The Four Horsemen manifested on Earth three weeks ago.” Francine sympathized with Laura. Wila, Dani, Penny, and she had nearly a month to get used to the idea. They were dumping a hell of a lot on Laura in only five minutes. “We think the fifth seal of the Apocalypse has been broken, and the dead are rising.”
“I need another Long John to deal with this.” Laura selected a maple one this time.
“Where’s Gene if only Edward and Justine are here?” Francine asked.
“He’s at Saint Michael’s talking with Deke, ur, I mean, Father McAvoy.” Tears welled in Penny’s eyes. She was trying so hard to be the strong one. It was going to break her if she didn’t let herself process all the stuff that had happened to them.
Laura swallowed her bite of doughnut. “Are you talking about Father Deacon McAvoy?”
“Yes,” Francine said.
“Edward and I used to know him years ago. Last I heard, he was…” Laura exhaled gustily. “How long ago did I pass away?”
“It was two years in June,” Penny said.
“What year is it?” Laura asked.
Francine told her, and Laura nodded.
“All right, so Deacon was supposed to be transferred to Saint James in Chicago four years ago.” Laura pursed her lips. “I don’t like the fact the last year and half of my life memories were taken from me.”
“It may be that Heaven excised those memories to make it easier on you,” Francine suggested. “You were in a terrible amount of pain during that period.”
“That makes sense.” Laura sagged against the back of the couch. “Has Edward, um, found someone else since I, ur…”
Once again, Penny couldn’t meet her mother-in-law’s eyes.
“He just started seeing a lady name Marian about a month ago,” Francine said softly. “It took him a long time to get over losing you.”
“And now, I’m back from the dead.” Laura shook her head. “I can’t even imagine how this will affect him and the boys.”
The door between Penny’s living room and her family room burst open. “Mom! Wila says you’re not answering your cell phone. She’s calling—” Justine stared at Laura.
“Grandma?”
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