How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"You didn't know?" The old lady immediately caught on that something was off, her tone prickling with irritation. "I booked a two-day getaway for you and Jarrod at Mount Serene just a couple of days ago. Yesterday, I asked Jarrod about it and he said he already gave you the tickets."

Elodie blinked in surprise-Jarrod hadn't mentioned any of this to her.

It couldn't be more obvious: he had no intention of going on a trip with her and had simply lied to appease his grandmother.

"Grandma, it's just that I have something urgent to take care of, so—"

"It's the weekend! What could possibly be so important?" Her grandmother wasn't having it. "Don't you cover for that rascal. Here's what's going to happen: you're going, and I'll call that boy and make sure he gets there too. I've planned everything, so just get a move on."

Elodie tried to protest. "Grandma, actually, Jarrod and I already—"

"What about you two?" The old lady's tone softened, concern replacing annoyance.

It was clear she still didn't know about the divorce. Apparently, Jarrod hadn't told the Silverstein family yet. Otherwise, why would his grandmother bother arranging something like this for the two of them?

Elodie felt a wave of frustration. With Grandma's high blood pressure and weak heart, maybe Jarrod was waiting for the right moment to break the news gently. If Elodie let the truth slip and Grandma couldn't handle it, she'd be the villain.

The papers were signed; the divorce would be official soon enough. There'd be time to let Grandma adjust.

After a moment of deliberation, she caved. "It's nothing, Grandma. I'll head over now. Jarrod told me about it."

as she could reassure Grandma, that was all that mattered.

step ahead: "I'll send a car to pick you up.

give me a chubby great-grandchild by the end of the year!"

Elodie could decline, the old lady hung up

her forehead, feeling a headache coming

Jarrod's relationship was lukewarm at best- especially with no baby, which was a hard pill for traditional elders to swallow. That was why, for three years, she dutifully

rest of the time, he had zero

he'd come to her every night, three times a night,

Still, nothing happened.

was because of an old injury that made it hard for her to conceive. She

cancer, even that faint

simply gave the address of a nearby supermarket, concealing the fact that she and

into the car without contacting

didn't want her there. No way he'd actually show up to spend the weekend with her.

ski resort nearby and, if you woke up early, you

her room, and was startled to run into two people returning from

walked side by side, deep in

heart skipped; the scene

when he spotted her,