About This Book
Chief of Police Joe Silva comes from a large and loving family, but even in Joe's family there is a lingering sadness from his youth. Joe's father, now in his nineties, believes his time is near and he works hard to bring his entire family together again, for one last reunion and one last chance to remove an old stain on his family.
Joe and Gwen, along with Jennie, Gwen's daughter, join Joe's sisters and brother and their families for a long weekend. While Gwen is slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of Joe's relatives, Joe is uneasy the more he learns about his father's plans. Two siblings, the youngest, whom few have seen or heard from for almost thirty years, are scheduled to arrive--and they do, startling everyone. Joe's father has worked wonders, and Joe hopes the old man won't be disappointed.
At the same time, Pae Silva has promised to help a neighbor who believes she now understands what happened to her daughter to leave her in a semi-vegetative state. Joe remembers Christina as the girl he almost married, and feels sorry for her, but doubts his father's efforts will be fruitful.
Joe's sisters, Lucia, Zaira, Rosalie, and Deanie, are overjoyed to see each other again, but no one denies the tension beneath the surface. Joe has never taken to Rosalie's husband, and the older sisters are worried about their aging husbands.
Through it all Joe's mother, Mae Silva, never loses her steady bearing and her complete faith that God will take care of her family, just as He always has. For those who know the world Joe has inhabited in Mellingham, this story will reveal Joe's roots, the sorrow and tragedy he grew up with as well as the large, rambunctious crowd that is his definition of love and family.
