“I had already made plans for Bobby. He’s over at Kevin’s.” Sam recalled that conversation, then gave Mack a curious look. “I thought Shanna was supposed to be at your house for some family book-club thing that Susie’s hosting.”
“Susie was ready to cancel that if you needed her,” Mack admitted with a grimace. “See what I mean? She’s made Bobby a top priority.” He studied Sam for a minute, then said a little too casually, “I figured Bobby would be with Carrie.”
Sam recognized that there was more to the question—that Mack, like everyone else in the family, was trying to figure out their relationship.
“Carrie’s not my designated babysitter,” he said, keeping his tone neutral. He might be annoyed by the probing, but it was second nature to O’Briens and anyone connected to them. “She’s a good friend. Right now she’s trying to get her day care ready to open. She has plenty on her plate with that. She’s offered to pitch in when I need her, but I’m not going to take advantage of her.”
“Susie seems to think you two are an item.” As soon as Mack spoke, he winced. “Listen to me. I’m turning into as bad a gossip as the rest of the town, trying to wheedle information out of you.”
At least Mack obviously felt guilty, which allowed Sam to chuckle at his discomfort. “Very little information to wheedle,” he said with complete candor. “We’re exploring the possibilities and that is the last I intend to say about that.” He leveled a look that was intended to make Mack squirm. “Unless your role as my boss extends to my life outside the office.”
“Nope. The topic is closed,” Mack said. “I should be getting home. Susie wasn’t looking forward to this whole book-club gathering. She was convinced the women planned to stage some sort of intervention.”
“Are they qualified to do that?” Sam asked, startled.
“Hardly, but it doesn’t matter to an O’Brien. When they perceive that one of their own is struggling with anything, they jump on the case. It’s a blessing and a curse. Right now, my wife considers it to be a curse. She wants to wallow a bit and, if you ask me, she has a right to. It’s not the wallowing that worries me half as much as the manic stuff that involves your nephew. Thanks for trying to overlook that or at least keep it in perspective. I’ll do my best to see that it doesn’t get out of hand.”
Sam nodded. “Fair enough. I am sorry as hell about the whole adoption thing. Here the two of you are so anxious to be parents and I wind up with custody of my nephew. Life sure takes some unexpected twists.”
“It does that,” Mack agreed. “I’ve given up on trying to figure out the plan and tried to learn just to go with the flow. Susie’s cancer taught me that life’s precarious and a smart person makes the most of whatever’s he’s given.”
“Not a bad philosophy,” Sam said. It might be one he’d do well to follow himself, instead of questioning every unanticipated twist and turn.
Carrie had papers spread all over her dining-room table and a checklist which seemed to be growing, rather than getting shorter. When her cell phone rang, she answered it with an unmistakable touch of impatience.
Her tone was met by an equally testy question. “Why aren’t you at my house?”
Carrie stared at the phone in shock before answering. “Susie?”
“Of course it’s me. It’s book-club night and everyone else is here and they’re all wondering what I’ve done to offend you. Of course no one has actually said a word, but I can tell by the way they’re looking at me. Is that what you wanted, to get the whole family on your side? It’s not enough that this great little kid just fell into your life?”
Carrie sighed. “Susie, this is a conversation we probably need to have face-to-face, but certainly not tonight in front of half the family.”
“Then you agree there’s a problem?”
“I think maybe you’ve seen one that doesn’t exist, at least not from my perspective.”
“So now you’re saying I’m, what, crazy? Imagining that you’re moving in on Sam and Bobby?”
Carrie clung to her patience by a thread. “I’m not discussing this with you, not like this.”
Silence greeted her remark. Then she heard what sounded like a sob.
“Susie?” When there was no reply, just more choked sobs, Carrie tried again. “Susie, say something. Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m not okay,” Susie said, a note of near hysteria in her voice. “If I were, I wouldn’t be acting like this. Carrie, I’m sorry. I truly am. I’ve gotten into this awful, dark place and I can’t seem to drag myself out.”