Chapter 20

Mom and Dad are ecstatic when I announce that I'll be going back to college beginning Monday. Everything worked out with the registrar, I got my scholarship back in place, and they found a single room for me in one of the dorms.

Angie, Sage, and Gina are living in the sorority house, where I would be if I hadn't forfeited my spot to go to Europe.

"This really couldn't have worked out better, Madeline," Mom says. "I know it's a shame that you didn't get to see Europe, but this way you'll graduate on time and get back to your own life."

"I suppose so. What about all the weddings?"

"I haven't gotten your sisters to nail down a date yet. We were talking about it, but now there's Jesse and Brianna to consider, I suppose." She sighs. "I just don't know how we're going to afford all of this."

Dad grumbles behind his newspaper.

My father's the only man on earth who still reads the newspaper every morning—on paper and not his iPad.

"A small wedding here on the ranch," he says.

"That may not be what the girls want," Mom says. "And their fiancés can certainly afford?—"

Dad folds his newspaper down sharply. "Stop it now, Maureen. You know how I feel about taking money from the Steel family."

My mother and father have been going at this since Callie and Donny got together. My mother is a proud woman, but she has champagne tastes on a beer budget. She always has.

And then my father, even prouder, who's had to rein my mother's tastes in over the years. He refuses to take a cent of Steel money.

That's just going to have to change, because Callie and Rory should be able to have the wedding they want. After all, their in-laws-to-be can certainly afford it.

"Dad…" I begin.

"Yes, Maddie?"

"I know the Steels are a sore subject with you, but I'm just wondering. That Steel Trust thing, apparently run by Wendy Madigan, didn't have a lien on our property."

"No, they didn't," Dad says.

"None of us have been able to figure out why."

Dad raises his eyebrows. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

"Well… I guess I wasn't sure that you would know."

He puts his newspaper down. "Madeline, your mother and I own the property. Of course we would know."

"The truth is, Maddie," Mom says, "we bought this property back when Jesse was just a kid. You weren't even born yet. We actually bought it from the Steel family. It was property that another family had been using as a ranch, leasing it from the Steels."

"And…"

Dad clears his throat. "There was no lien on it because it was owned by the Steels themselves."

"So…"

"The Steels own all their property outright," Dad says. "I wouldn't have purchased any property subject to a lien anyway. That's bad business. Frankly, I can't believe so much property changed hands over the years with that lien in place."

I have no idea how to respond to that, and Dad's tone indicates that he's not interested in discussing the matter any further, so I decide to change the subject.

"I'll need one of you guys to drop me off tomorrow night," I say.

"Of course, Madeline," Mom says. "Your father and I will both go."

"That's not necessary. Maybe I can get a ride with Angie and Sage or Gina."

"Aren't they at school now?" Mom asks.

I shake my head. "All the Steels, even the youngest ones, were called home for that big meeting. I figured you knew."

"The Steels don't make it a priority to share their business with us," Dad says.

"No, of course not. I just figured Callie had told you. She was there."

Mom glances at Dad. "She hasn't said anything to us."

"Then you don't know Joe is sick?"

Dad's eyes widen. "Jonah is ill?"

"Callie knows, and Rory and Jesse no doubt know by now as well. I'm sure Brock and Bree called them."

"Caroline Rose." Mom sighs. "I guess I need to give her a call."

"Anyway," I continue, "it's some kind of brain cancer. Dave told me what it was, but I can't remember the name of it."

"How bad is it?" Dad asks.

"It's pretty bad. Basically only a one percent survival rate."

For once, both my parents are speechless.

"Isn't it strange, Maureen," Dad says, "how we never imagined anything bad could happen to that family?"

Mom rises and hugs Dad, who's still sitting in his chair. "I love you, Frank."

"I love you, Reenie," he says.

My parents do still love each other after all these years. They certainly don't see eye to eye on everything. Mom, for example, never quite came to terms with Rory's bisexuality, but Dad accepted it with no questions asked.

My father is an amazing man. He's in excellent health despite a heart attack last fall. But he does have one Achilles' heel. His pride.

He wouldn't allow the Steels to help us when our vineyards burned down, and I understood then.

Now, three of his children are engaged to Steels, and he still won't take their money.

I don't know whether to be proud of him or to resent him.

"Anyway," I say, "I don't think the girls are going back to school anytime soon. At least not for another couple of days, so Daddy, if you could take me, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course, Maddie."

Today is Saturday, and I'm supposed to have lunch with Dave. Or at least he said so. I haven't heard from him since.

If he doesn't text me, that's okay. I need to get my stuff packed up and ready to go back to school anyway.

Since I'll be in the dorms, I'm going to need bedding and everything else for my room. I really lucked out getting a single room.

I give Mom and Dad a kiss and go to my room to begin packing.

I get a lot done, start a few loads of laundry, give my room a good cleaning, and by then it's lunchtime.

I look at my phone.

No text from Dave.

Well, that's that.

I lie down on my bed, wanting to cry.

But I don't.