“Chocolate cake,” Kerry responded. She poured the batter into a baking tin, using the spoon to scrape the sides. She then slid it in the oven.
Tessa turned her attention to the potatoes her mother had taken out, using the paring knife to peel away the skin. She then placed them in the pot of boiling water and added salt. She looked over at her mother standing by the kitchen sink, unmoving. Her brow furrowed. “Mom, are you okay?”
Maria’s head turned with a snap of her neck. Her eyes opened and shut rapidly before focusing on her daughter. “Did you say something, sweetheart?”
“I asked if you were okay,” Tessa repeated, examining her mother, who looked to be in a state of confusion.
Maria opened her mouth, but no words came for a good ten seconds, and her brows knitted together in concentration. Kerry looked up from what she was doing, and the same concern Tessa felt registered on her face.
“I’m fine,” Maria finally answered with a slight upturn of her lips. “I was trying to remember where I’d put the basil.”
“It’s in your hand,” Kerry pointed out.
Maria’s light-brown eyes stretched wide, and her lips parted as she stared at the bottle clutched in her right hand.
Tessa exchanged a look with her sister. “Are you sure you’re fine?” she asked.
“I’m just a bit tired. It must be making my mind blurry,” Maria explained.
“Why don’t you go rest for a bit? Kerry and I can finish up here,” Tessa assured her mother. She walked over to her and slipped the bottle from her hand before turning to Kerry, who nodded her agreement.
“Yeah, Mom. We’ll take it from here.”
Maria reluctantly left the kitchen, and Tessa immediately turned to her sister.
“Something’s definitely off about Mom,” she surmised, folding her arms across her chest.
“Do you think that’s what Dad called us here for?” Kerry asked, her voice filled with angst.
Tessa thought about it. What could possibly be so important that their dad had ordered all the siblings to be at the house for dinner and an important announcement if it wasn’t something earth-shattering? She prayed it wasn’t.
“I hope not,” she replied. With a sigh, her shoulders fell with the weight of possible bad news from her parents. “Let’s just get this food ready. The sooner we hear what this is all about, the sooner we can try to fix it.”
Half an hour later, they set the table just as their brothers arrived.
“Mmm, it smells great in here. Mom outdid herself,” Charles complimented.
“It was actually your sisters,” Maria spoke, walking in behind them.
“I take back what I said, then.”
“Hey! That’s not nice.” Kerry slapped him across the chest with the dish towel.
“I said what I said.” Charles smirked.
“You’re such a meanie. Mom, tell him to take that back.” Kerry pouted, folding her hands across her chest.
“Charles, leave your sister alone,” Maria chided her eldest with a twinkle in the corner of her eye as she played into their charades.
Kerry stuck her tongue out at him before grinning.
“Hey, Sis,” Brian greeted Tessa with a kiss on her temple.
“Hey, Brian.” She smiled at him. “How’s Kristin and the kids?”
“Kristin’s great. Mitch and Sarah are…” He flipped his palm back and forth.
“Are they still having problems conceiving?”
