Nathan and Joe both cracked grins then stood and carried their plates over to the sink. Marlene watched them, her chest about to burst with pride. She felt that way about all her boys. It seemed over the last year that they had scattered to the winds, all going different directions. It just wasn’t the same after Rachel’s death.
Her heart gave a pinch, and she mentally scolded herself for allowing sadness to encroach on her time with Nathan and Joe. They were home, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it. And she was going to push her worries about her older boys right out of her mind.
Rusty stayed close to Marlene while Frank and the boys went into the living room. It didn’t take a genius to figure out how intimidated Rusty was by Nathan and Joe, but at least they’d largely ignored her. It wasn’t the most polite thing, but Marlene couldn’t blame them. And the alternative would have put Rusty over the edge.
“Come on, dear. You’ll have to face them all sometime.” She gestured for Rusty to follow her into the living room, where the TV was already on and, typically, the men were arguing over sports.
Nathan and Joe patted the space between them on the couch and promptly each put an arm around Marlene when she sat down. She was treated to a big sloppy kiss from both, and she beamed and patted their cheeks in return.
Rusty took a seat in the chair next to Frank’s recliner and attempted to blend in with the upholstery.
It was loud and chaotic, just the way Marlene liked it. She sighed in contentment and patted both boys on their legs. It didn’t matter that they were approaching thirty. They were still her babies.
The sound of the front door slamming made her sit up straighter. Frank heard it too, because he immediately hit the mute button on the remote.
“Mom, Dad? You home?”
“Sam,” Marlene breathed.
She looked up to see Sam stride into the living room, followed by Donovan. They were both a mess. Camo, boots, dirty torn shirts, and they looked like they hadn’t had a bath in two days. They never came home like this.
A soft moan escaped her lips. Ethan and Garrett weren’t with them.
CHAPTER 14
SAM halted in the doorway of the living room, stunned to see his younger brothers sitting on the couch next to his mom.
“Nathan? Joe? What the hell are you guys doing home? Is something wrong?”
“That’s what we want to ask you,” Nathan said as he stood. Joe also stood, and the two men looked warily at their older brothers.
“Van,” Joe said with a nod in Donovan’s direction.
“What’s goingon?” Frankbarked. “You’re standinga round likea bunch of damn strangers and you’re scaring your mother to death.”
Donovan grinned hugely and strode across the room. He stopped in front of Nathan and then took him down in one swift motion. Nathan landed on the floor with a thump just as laughter burst from his chest.
“Goddamn it, Van, get off me.”
Joe wrapped his beefy arms around Donovan and lifted him clear off the ground. Donovan may have had the element of surprise when he got to Nathan, but being the smallest of the Kelly brothers put him at a major disadvantage.
Sam finally managed to shake off the shock of seeing Nathan and Joe. He held his hands up and barked an order for his brothers to quiet down.
Nathan and Joe looked up in surprise. His mom and dad looked at Sam with worried eyes.
Sam crossed the room and grabbed both his youngest brothers in a rough hug. “It’s damn good to have you both home.”
“Where’s Ethan and Garrett?” Joe asked in a steady voice as he pulled back.
It suddenly occurred to Sam what they all must have thought with him and Van bursting into the house looking like they’d both been rode hard and hung up wet and without their other two brothers.
He and Donovan exchanged quick glances.
“Tell me,” Marlene demanded.
Sam held his hands up in a soothing motion. “They’re fine, Mom. I promise.”
“Want to tell us what’s going on, son?” his dad said.
Donovan spoke up. “I think everyone should sit down. Ethan and Garrett are fine, but there’s something we need to tell you.”
“It’s good news, Mom,” Sam said quickly as he took in her stricken features.
Their worry all turned to puzzlement as they slowly took their seats. It was then Sam noticed a young girl huddled in a seat next to his dad’s recliner. He raised an eyebrow in his dad’s direction.
“We’ll worry about that later,” Frank said impatiently. “Now tell us what’s on your mind before your mother bursts.”
Sam scrubbed a hand through his hair. There was no easy way to explain everything that had happened. He could pu**y-foot around the subject and take forever or he could just put it out there.
“Rachel’s alive,” Donovan broke in before Sam could get it out.
Dead silence fell over the room. No one stirred. No one said a word. Their mom’s face was frozen in shock. Their dad simply looked like he hadn’t heard correctly, while Nathan and Joe’s faces darkened with fury.
Nathan launched himself from the couch. “What the hell, Van?”
“Nathan, sit down,” Sam said.
Nathan’s eyes widened at the authority in Sam’s voice.
“Sam, what’s going on?” his mom asked in a quivery voice.
“You better have a damn good reason for coming home and springing this sort of thing on your mother,” Frank growled.