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Zoe wrinkled her nose. "Don't talk to me about her."
"You might want to know a few things. She was interesting," Quinn said softly.
Zoe scowled at her from across the table. "I know everything I need to know. She left when you were a baby to come live here. She left me, and she knew what dad was. She married him. She was an adult, and she left her two defenseless children to suffer." She looked at Janice. "Is that just about right?"
Janice colored. "Your mother wasn't cut out for adult responsibility. She was more of a free spirit. I remember I used to spend half my time following her around just making sure she didn't get into too much trouble. God, she was a nightmare. Then she went off to college and came home married to your father. Our parents weren't even shocked." Janice laughed. "You know, your parents had a little makeshift ceremony in the backyard here? This used to be—"
"Your parents' house. I know," Zoe answered, and silence reigned again.
Quinn reached across the table and grabbed a roll, buttering it quietly as she stared down at her plate.
"Did she tell you about Paul, too?" Zoe asked Janice. "I would guess not since you didn't make it to the
wedding."
"I didn't come to the wedding because your sister knew it would upset you. I know what happened with your mother—"
"Dawn," Zoe corrected.
"Dawn, then. What happened with her was hardest on you because you were older—not much older, but older. I do wonder what you remember about her, though." Janice turned a curious gaze on her, and Zoe shrugged it off.
"We were talking about Paul. What did Quinn tell you about him? Or about…" She almost said Ian's name, almost spouted the whole dirty truth about the letter Quinn had left. But it was too painful, even now, to think of him and the part he'd played in all of this. To think of how he'd wronged her.
"I know about Paul," Janice said simply.
"What about him?" Zoe demanded.
"Honestly, Zoe—" Quinn said, but Janice held up a hand to silence her.
"Ok." The older woman blew a deep breath out her nose. "I know you set Quinn and Paul up and that Quinn loves Paul but she's not in love with Paul. I know he's a good man, and I know he's probably having an awful time right now, just like your sister is."
"How awful a time could it be?" Zoe raised her eyebrows. "When I'm always there to clean up after her messes?"
"Enough." Quinn slammed her butter knife onto the table. "I told you I'd come in peace, but you don't have to treat Janice like this. We both know this has nothing to do with me, and you're just uncomfortable because she looks so much like Mom."
"Dawn," Zoe corrected.
"Mom," Quinn shot back. "And you only know about mom through dad, who is not exactly the most trusted source, as far as I can recall."
"How dare you—?"
"Come on, Zoe. Don't play dumb. You really think Mom would have left two kids with a gambler if she'd had any other choice? Her parents were sick, and Janice was overseas in the military. They needed someone here with them."
"She could have brought us," Zoe argued, her throat suddenly scratchy.
"She couldn't. Dad wouldn't let her. He hit her, Zoe."
Zoe laughed. "You're out of your mind. You're going to trust this woman instead of your own family?"
"This woman is my own family, and I do trust her because…" Quinn took a deep breath. "Dad hit me, too."
"What?" Zoe spluttered.
"You were always working or at school, and it was just the two of us a lot of the time. When he'd come home after a bad losing streak, he'd lose his temper and sometimes… sometimes he'd hit me."
"Why would he only hit you?" Zoe asked. "That doesn't—"
"Because he probably knew you were too strong to take it. He knew you'd leave and take me with you, and he needed you to support him."
