Page 113 of The Do-Over

“What happened?” Phee asked. “What did the doctor say?”

“Chest pains, you know. Very serious.”

Crossing my arms, I stared down at her. She wouldn’t. Would she?

“I’ve told you about cutting back on the butter and the bacon,” Mom said. “It’s not good for your heart.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Mimi replied meekly.

Meekly?

“But since you’re all here now and—”

Daddy opened the door. “Water is on its way,” he announced.

“Great,” Mimi said. “Now go find me an extra blanket, would you?”

Daddy’s brow furrowed. “But I—”

“I’m just so cold.” She shivered for good measure.

My mother huffed. “Craig, my mother is in the hospital, and she is cold. Go find her a blanket.”

“Fine,” Daddy grumbled and left the room.

“As I was sayin’, since we’re all here, this might be a good time to clear the air.”

Mom’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that sometimes, in the face of tragedy…” Mimi coughed again. She was laying it on thicker than the frosting on her German chocolate cake.

On a list of People on Their Deathbeds, Mimi’s name was nowhere in sight.

“What do you mean by that? Have the doctors told you something?” Mom rose. “Where is that nurse? I want some answers.”

“Bobbie Jo, sit down.” Mimi’s voice brooked no argument. “I’m trying to say I want us to talk. Don’t you think it’s about time? Now, I understand you’re angry with me and I’m sorry. There, I said I’m sorry. That wasn’t hard. Who’s next?”

“Mama, you can’t just say the words and think that’s it. You started a food fight. You embarrassed me in front of all those people.” Mom leaned over the bed, her stance menacing. “There are videos on the internet.”

“I can’t apologize for the videos. Had nothing to do with that.”

“That is not the point!” Mom’s voice grew louder with each word. “It’s always been like this. You don’t care what anyone thinks about what you do or who you hurt in the process.”

“And maybe you care a little too much,” Mimi shot back.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Mimi nudged me. “I brought the horse to the trough. You gotta make her drink.”

But it was Phee who answered. “I don’t want to be a traffic girl. I want to anchor. I want to be taken seriously. And Perci is right, I do have feelings for Mathias, but I stayed away because you told me to. And I would have married Joel, too, because I knew it’s what you wanted for me. I would have married him and had two kids and been a PTA mom and I would have been miserable.”

The only sound when she finished was the steady beep of Mimi’s heart monitor. Mom’s spine went solid. She turned to face the wall, and I heard a sniffle. “And Persephone, do you feel the same way?”

I pulled a breath and willed myself to be honest, even though it was hard. “You’re embarrassed by me.”

“I’m not embarrassed by you.” She whipped around to glare at me. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“I’m a failure in your eyes.” I spread my arms wide at my sides. “But I’m not a failure, not anymore at least. This is who I am. I’m okay with myself. I really, really am.” Now the other part. “I know I make mistakes. Like at the party and the food fight and the things I said. I’m sorry. I really am. I know I’m not perfect. I fail a lot. I make mistakes and I will again, but I’m not letting that hold me back anymore.”