Read Online Never Say Never, Part Three (Second Chance Romance, Book 3) by Melissa Shaw - Free Book Online

ear.  
    It rang.  
    “Sunny Oaks, whaddaya want?” The receptionist at the old age home answered the phone with her usual aplomb.  
    “I’d like to speak to Mrs. McDonald, please.”  
    “It’s dinner. Call back in fifteen.” The woman hung up on her. She actually fucking hung up.  
    Somebody was about to get an ass whipping.  
    Emily called back.
    “Sunny Oaks, whaddaya want?”  
    “Hi, me again,” she sang into the phone, “I wonder if you’d do me the extreme honor of putting Mrs. McDonald on the phone, before I call your supervisor directly and get you fired, you stupid fucking cow.”
    Miss Gum Chewing Airhead took a second to process.
    “They’re at dinner.”  
    “I don’t care if they’re at tea with the Queen. Put me through to her room. Now.”  
    The waiting tune sang through the receiver and Emily let out a wry smile and drank more wine, then grimaced at the dryness of it. She squinted at the label, but she couldn’t make out what it said, so she gave it up for a bad job.  
    “Yes?” Mama answered with her usual aplomb as well.  
    “Hi mom, it’s Emily,” she said, and sipped some more. “How are you?”
    “It doesn’t matter, apparently.” Mama wheezed and spluttered on the other end, and Emily grimaced. She hadn’t been to visit in a while and things sounded worse. That familiar ‘Mama’ brand of guilt assaulted her mind.  
    “I just received an alarming document from a policeman,” Emily informed her in a professional tone. She wanted to protect herself from her mother’s anger or disdain, but it was probably a bad job too.  
    “Huh? Get to the point girl, I’ve got a delicious pork chop waiting for me. No, Dorothy, that was sarcasm.” She aimed the last bit at a nurse, no doubt.  
    “Brian’s taken out a restraining order against me.”  
    “Oh yes, he mentioned that a few days ago.”
    “He called you?!” There were too many people involved in this. It was too complicated. Brian was everywhere, like a cartoon or a horror movie. Wherever she turned, surprise, Brian was there.  
    Mama had collapsed into a coughing fit, but she emerged with another precious sentiment, “Of course not. Brian never calls, he always visits in person.”  
    Her mother was deluded enough to believe it was because he cared, when really it was to make Emily’s life worse.  
    “You shouldn’t see him anymore. He beat up his wife the other day.”  
    “That’s total rubbish. Brian wouldn’t harm a fly. You, however, are a convicted killer, girl.” It was as if Brian had used her mother’s mouth to speak to her.  
    Old, wheezing and weak with years of a torn relationship behind them, and Mama couldn’t get past it. She couldn’t accept Emily no matter how desperately she tried to impress her.  
    Tears came on milliseconds later. “Mom, I don’t know what to do, I need help.”  
    “Of course you do.” Mama sighed into the receiver and Emily peeled the label off the wine bottle, hoping that it was some indication that her mother was about to soften up for a change.  
    “I can’t – l “
    “This is all your fault, Emily. You brought it on yourself. You should have left those kids well enough alone. You’re a hooker for heaven’s sakes. Do you really think you deserve time with them when you’re only going to end up ruining their lives further?”  
    “I won’t and I’m not.” Emily drank deeply and the wine slopped into her lap.  
    “Don’t bother lying to me, girl, I’ve seen through your acts since you were a little girl. Always your daddy’s favorite, but without enough common sense to keep yourself out of trouble. You’re an embarrassment.”  
    “I can’t believe this. You’re my mother,” Emily yelled it, “you’re my mother, you’re supposed to love me!” She couldn’t keep the pain in anymore, it spilled over just as the wine had.  
    “No. I am not your mother anymore. You stopped being my child long ago.”  
    “What are