Coffin of Hope

Chapter Forty Two

There was a knock on the door as the siblings packed to go home. Maddie answered it. "Grandma!"

Victoria Jones walked into the room and regarded her grandchildren sadly. "I know about your frustrations with your parents."

"Dad told you." Marc sighed.

"Judy." Victoria shook her head. "She wouldn't stop crying."

The young adults were too tired to feel guilty.

And she could see it. "I think you should go home."

"We are." Mike shrugged helplessly.

"No. To Ohio. Give them another chance."

"Why?" Marcy wasn't going for that.

"They love you. For all their faults, they tried and they love you."

The siblings looked at each other. Was that enough?

OF

Marcus, Michael, Russell, Judy, Rose and Jeanette were shocked to see their children sit in the terminal they were in. They were sure the eight were still upset with them.

Rose opened her mouth.

Mercedes shook her head. "No, Momma. We're only spending New Years together. For Grandma."

Rose was deeply hurt. All the parents were.

It was dead quiet in their little spot of the world.

OF

"Where will you be staying?" Judy asked cautiously after they'd gotten their luggage from baggage claim.

"Can you-?" Marcus cleared his throat. "Stay with me?"

Marcy looked at Mal, who stared back. She glanced at her father. "Yes."

"And you?" He asked Marc.

Marc looked at Laura. "What do you want to do?"

Laura took his hand. "That'll be fine."

"Princess?" Marcus hoped.

Mercedes hated being upset with her father. She wasn't sure if she forgave him but she could grant this one request. "Yes."

"Will you come home?" Judy asked Quinn.

The green eyed blonde blinked. "Um... okay."

"We should be going. Getting taxis will be a hardship." Michael felt uncomfortable.

They nodded and moved as one to the entrance of the airport. Car and van taxis waited in a row in the front of the building. The large family piled in as few as they could manage and went home.

OF

Marcy stared out her window unseeingly.

"Mommy?" Mally came up to her.

"Yes?" She snapped out of it and turned to face him.

"Are you sad?"

Marcy thought about it. Was she sad? Did she even understand sadness? "Yes."

"Is it okay if I'm sad?"

"Because of your daddies?"

He nodded.

"Yes, it is. They were really good men and they loved you with everything in them. You can feel anything you feel."

He wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his face in her soft stomach.