Read Blinding Rain, Season 2, Episode 7 (Rising Storm) for Free Online

dinners or to go out to the range and hit a bucket of balls with me on a Saturday afternoon. All the things you used to do before Jacob died.”
    Their father pursed his lips and sat back in his chair, clearly irritated.
    Lacey sighed, sensing they were getting nowhere. And the way her parents wouldn’t even acknowledge each other sent a ripple of worry down her spine. “We’re not trying to tell you you’re bad parents—”
    “Sounds like you are,” their father muttered.
    Lacey ignored that comment. “We’re just trying to tell you that we realize neither of you are acting normal. I wasn’t acting normal either for a while and it didn’t help me move on or ease the pain of losing Jacob. We’re all hurting because of that. And although we understand our new normal without Jacob is going to be very different from our old normal, we”—she glanced at Sara Jane again for encouragement—“both feel it’s time we all started acting like a family again instead of this...fractured household.”
    Neither of their parents looked at them. Their mother continued to study her hands and their father stared down at a spot on the carpet. Any hope Lacey’d had about this family meeting fixing things took a serious nosedive.
    Sara Jane frowned. “Lacey’s right. And both of you could learn something from her. It took a lot of maturity for her to realize acting out after Jacob’s death wasn’t doing anything to help her grief.” She glanced Lacey’s way. “I’m proud of you, baby sister.”
    Lacey’s cheeks heated. She had a lot of regret over the things she’d done after Jacob’s death, but hearing Sara Jane say she was proud of her filled her with warmth. “Thanks,” she whispered.
    “As for you two.” Sara Jane looked back at their parents. “I’m not proud of either of you. It’s been months since Jacob’s death and you’re both still acting like it just happened.”
    Their father’s jaw clenched down hard and his enraged eyes shot their way. “What would you have us do? Act like it didn’t happen? You both have no idea what it’s like to lose a child.”
    “No, we don’t,” Sara Jane said. “We only know what it’s like to lose a brother. And what it’s like to lose both our parents. You both have pulled away from us. And while we’ve been sympathetic to it until now, we’re not anymore. It’s time you both started acting like the parents you are.”
    “And,” Lacey cut in before either could respond, “it’s time you both put aside your feud with Ginny Moreno.” When her mother’s wide eyes shot to Lacey’s face, Lacey said, “I know what happened at the flower shop today. Sara Jane told me. You had the chance to do the right thing, Mom, but you didn’t.”
    “That girl—”
    “What happened at the flower shop?” Their father sat forward, his brows drawn low, showing interest in the conversation for the first time since they’d started.
    “Mom and I went to buy flowers for Aunt Payton and we ran into Ginny there. She was chatting with Kristin. I would have pulled Mom out of there if I’d known Ginny was there, but by the time I spotted her it was too late. Instead of being civil, Mom actually accused Ginny of being happy Aunt Payton and Uncle Sebastian separated.”
    Their father huffed and sank back into his seat. “I’m sure she is.”
    Lacey’d had enough. She pushed to her feet, unable to sit still any longer. “That’s what I’m talking about. Whether or not you both want to admit it, there is still a chance Ginny’s carrying your grandchild, but you’re both so hellbent on punishing her that you can’t even act like human beings. She made a mistake, but so did Uncle Sebastian, only I don’t see either of you vilifying him. I was plenty mad at her too, but I know how grief can make you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Yes, she lied to us, but she didn’t do it to be mean. She did it because she cared about Jacob and all of us. You’ve both treated