Trenton,” a female voice interrupted. “Get hold of yourself. You’re making a public spectacle. I thought at least we’d taught you better about that.”
Maggie stiffened, and Trent opened his eyes to stare over her shoulder at the couple in the doorway. So, they’d arrived, just as Ed had thought they would. Both dressed in gray, they looked as impeccable as always. And rigid. And haughty. Not exactly the ideal attributes in parents or grandparents. Rachel’s chatter to Ed stopped, and Trent spit out an oath as he set Maggie away and stood.
“Actually, Mother, showing honest emotions like grief is not generally considered a spectacle these days, and as you can see we have the room to ourselves. We were all family here,” he added pointedly.
“Other than your mother and me, the only family members here are you and the girl,” his father said. “We need to talk without outsiders present.”
Maggie stood as if to leave, but Trent wrapped his arm around her waist. “Maggie is my wife, Father. She is family. My family. And Ed stays because we have nothing to say to either of you unless our lawyer is present”
“Trenton, that is hardly necessary. After all, we are all interested in what is best for the children,” his mother countered.
“That’s why I don’t intend to allow either of you to have any say whatsoever in their futures. That’s what Mike specified in his will, and I intend to see his and Sarah’s wishes are carried out.”
Royce Osborne’s cold gray eyes bored into him, but Trent refused to let him see how much he wished their relationship could be different. He supposed children never stopped wanting their parents’ approval, even years after they stopped trying to win it.
“You can’t hope to win against us in court,” Royce said.
“Why? Ed’s a top-notch attorney. And he wrote an ironclad will.”
“Because you and your wife are about to be divorced. What do you intend to do with the children? Raise them alone? Our lawyer assures us that no court in the land will give those children to a single man with a demanding career.”
Trent frowned. “Alone? Where did you get the idea that I’d even consider raising the children without my wife? Maggie’s already handed in her resignation so she can be with them full time.”
“You’re about to be divorced! Do you intend to split custody? You can’t really believe the court will side with you and allow that?” Royce sneered.
“Actually the divorce is old news. Maggie and I have been talking about a reconciliation for a while, now.” Trent felt Maggie stiffen. It wasn’t really a lie. They had been talking about it for weeks. He’d rejected the idea time and again, but his parents didn’t need to know that.
“I knew she came to see you last week, but from what I hea—” His mother cut herself off midword.
And where would she hear anything about us? Trent wondered. He’d have asked, but as the thought occurred to him Maggie gave a subtle nod toward the other side of the room. Rachel was staring from the play center at them. “I really have no more to say on the subject,” he said at once, seeing Rachel detach herself from Ed and start toward them.
“Uncle Trent!” Rachel called as she ran across the room. “Cindy had a nightmare.” She climbed up on the chair next to him and handed him Cindy, the wellloved baby doll.
His mother gasped and recoiled. “Good heavens I’m surprised the nurses didn’t burn that filthy thing!”
Rachel clamped herself to his waist, and Trent defiantly took the doll and put it on his shoulder, giving it a pat and kiss. Rachel beamed up at him, her big brown eyes alight with gratitude, and took back her lifelong treasure with a huge hug. Without sparing her grandparents more than a glance, Rachel went back to Ed, selecting yet another book on the way.
“She’s completely undisciplined and rude!” his mother gasped.
“Albertine, shouldn’t you be grateful that Rachel has settled down so well?” Maggie asked quietly. “The accident was very traumatic for her, and she spent all of last night in a very bad state.”
“There is no excuse for rudeness. She interrupted adults in the middle of a conversation. I can see you’d be no better at parenting those children than Michael and his wife were. That is precisely why I want a hand in raising our grandchildren.”
Trent had had enough. He pitched his voice low so he’d be sure Rachel couldn’t hear. “That child saw her mother’s dead body pulled from that wreckage. This morning Maggie had to tell her Mike had died as well. I’d think that’s all the excuse she needs to be a little rude. For crying out loud, Mother, she’s six-and-a-half years old!” He paused, wondering if anything he’d said had cracked their icy control. It hadn’t. His parents just stared at him blankly. “Your son is dead,” he tried again. “Can’t you even show emotion over that? Don’t you care?”
Royce narrowed his eyes. “Of course we care but Michael had all but cut us out of. his life since his marriage. I don’t know why it surprised us. He never lived up to his potential. He became an auto mechanic, for pity’s sake. We barely saw him these past years. What did you expect us to feel?”
Trent felt ready to explode, but Maggie’s hand moved over his back—soothing, comforting. “Nothing. I don’t expect you to feel anything. You never have. Why should this be any different? I think you should leave. You don’t belong here,” he told them.
“Trenton—” his mother began.
“Now, Mother.” Trent’s voice was steely. “Or I’m going to make a scene the likes of which will visit you in your nightmares for years.”
“We came to see the children,” Royce demanded.
“The children are awfully fragile right now, Royce,” Maggie warned.
“Maggie’s right,” Trent added. “They are fragile. Too fragile to deal with virtual strangers. Please, just go back home. No good will come from your being here. Someone will let you know what the funeral arrangements are.”
“Since I’m certain they’ll have something to do with those fanatics who meet in that converted barn, we’ll just see you in court,” his father said. Nearly identical frowns in place, they turned as one and left.
Ed approached from the other end of the large room. “Not a pretty sight,” he murmured. “Did that go as badly as it looked?”
Trent sighed. “They won’t be at the funeral, and they’ll see us in court.”
During the ten years of her marriage, Maggie had been in the company of her in-laws only a handful of times. She knew them to be stiff, formal people. She’d felt uncomfortable with them even though they hadn’t objected to her marriage to Trent. They’d hosted the usual engagement party and rehearsal dinner, and Albertine had attended her bridal shower. But when Michael had fallen head over heels for her maid of honor, Maggie had seen their true colors—the people behind the polite facades they presented to the world. It had
