expectant expressions that I was desperate to deflect.
“Of course I’m up for it,” I said, aiming for a casual tone.
In truth, going out again with the same people to the same place made me anxious that we were just asking for a repeat, and I wasn’t ready to see Jared again. In the same moment, I worried that he wouldn’t show.
“Are you sure?” Beth asked, leaning forward in her chair.
“Why don’t we go tomorrow?” Josh asked Ryan.
“I’m there,” Ryan said, nudging me.
“On a Tuesday? How much fun can a Tuesday night be?” I groaned.
“As fun as we make it,” Ryan said.
On our way back to Andrews, I grumbled to Beth about going out on a school night. She didn’t seem fazed by the prospect, so I left it alone. When we lumbered into our room, my cell phone buzzed.
“Hi, Mom,” I yawned.
“You sound tired, Nina. Are you getting enough sleep?” she asked.
“I am. It’s just been a long day,” I said, peeling back my comforter.
“Well, I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to tell you that Thomas called me today. He wanted to apologize about not returning your call. Did you call him, dear?”
“Er…yes. I did.” I hadn’t anticipated Thomas calling my mother.
“Well? What did you call him about?”
I decided that sticking as close to the truth as possible would be the best option. “Well, I was in dad’s office a few weeks ago and came across some unsigned papers. I didn’t want to worry you with it, so I called Mr. Rosen.”
“You were in Dad’s office? Why?”
“I guess I just miss him.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It’s okay, Mom. It was something I needed to do on my own.”
“You don’t worry about those papers, Dear. They’re nothing you need to concern yourself with. Thomas has copies of all of your father’s papers in his office; they’ve already been taken care of. I wasn’t….ready to move them just yet.”
“I understand,” I said, thinking of the letter opener I’d taken. She obviously hadn’t noticed, yet. I wondered if she went into Jack’s office at all. “Did Daddy ever discuss an urgent properties deal with you?”
My mother pondered that for a moment. “A properties deal? Your father didn’t deal with properties, Nina.”
“Oh. Okay.” I tried to make my voice sound idle to end the conversation.
“I’ll let Thomas know that I’ve talked to you.” She seemed to accept my explanation, but was obviously unconvinced.
“That’s fine, Mom. I’m going to bed, now.”
I clicked my phone shut and noticed Beth staring at me. “What?”
“You didn’t tell her about the Dawson guy, did you?” Beth said, towel and toiletries in hand.
“I can’t put that on her right now.”
I clicked my fingernails together, waiting for Beth to return. Mr. Rosen chose to call my mother instead of me. The thought flooded my mind with the disturbing words Mr. Dawson spoke, which in turn morphed into thoughts of my father being swindled posthumously. In that instant, I became angry beyond words and scrambled to my feet. Beth wouldn’t return fast enough; the only comfort would be a distraction. Without a second thought, I grabbed my keys and bolted out the door.
My BMW weaved in and out of traffic just a bit over the speed limit. I figured if I could somehow get lost, trying to find my way back would be an excellent distraction. I drove until the buildings were less familiar and then I stopped paying attention to the street signs. When I was no longer in Providence, I slowed down to make a u-turn to start the challenge of finding my way home. I veered off a bit to the shoulder before making the turn, and then my car bobbled over an unseen object as I pulled my steering wheel in the opposite direction.
“Damn it!”
I peered into my rearview mirror, searching for what I’d run over to decide whether I should pull over to assess any damages. In the next moment I saw the reflective twisted metal and
“Of course I’m up for it,” I said, aiming for a casual tone.
In truth, going out again with the same people to the same place made me anxious that we were just asking for a repeat, and I wasn’t ready to see Jared again. In the same moment, I worried that he wouldn’t show.
“Are you sure?” Beth asked, leaning forward in her chair.
“Why don’t we go tomorrow?” Josh asked Ryan.
“I’m there,” Ryan said, nudging me.
“On a Tuesday? How much fun can a Tuesday night be?” I groaned.
“As fun as we make it,” Ryan said.
On our way back to Andrews, I grumbled to Beth about going out on a school night. She didn’t seem fazed by the prospect, so I left it alone. When we lumbered into our room, my cell phone buzzed.
“Hi, Mom,” I yawned.
“You sound tired, Nina. Are you getting enough sleep?” she asked.
“I am. It’s just been a long day,” I said, peeling back my comforter.
“Well, I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to tell you that Thomas called me today. He wanted to apologize about not returning your call. Did you call him, dear?”
“Er…yes. I did.” I hadn’t anticipated Thomas calling my mother.
“Well? What did you call him about?”
I decided that sticking as close to the truth as possible would be the best option. “Well, I was in dad’s office a few weeks ago and came across some unsigned papers. I didn’t want to worry you with it, so I called Mr. Rosen.”
“You were in Dad’s office? Why?”
“I guess I just miss him.”
“Oh,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“It’s okay, Mom. It was something I needed to do on my own.”
“You don’t worry about those papers, Dear. They’re nothing you need to concern yourself with. Thomas has copies of all of your father’s papers in his office; they’ve already been taken care of. I wasn’t….ready to move them just yet.”
“I understand,” I said, thinking of the letter opener I’d taken. She obviously hadn’t noticed, yet. I wondered if she went into Jack’s office at all. “Did Daddy ever discuss an urgent properties deal with you?”
My mother pondered that for a moment. “A properties deal? Your father didn’t deal with properties, Nina.”
“Oh. Okay.” I tried to make my voice sound idle to end the conversation.
“I’ll let Thomas know that I’ve talked to you.” She seemed to accept my explanation, but was obviously unconvinced.
“That’s fine, Mom. I’m going to bed, now.”
I clicked my phone shut and noticed Beth staring at me. “What?”
“You didn’t tell her about the Dawson guy, did you?” Beth said, towel and toiletries in hand.
“I can’t put that on her right now.”
I clicked my fingernails together, waiting for Beth to return. Mr. Rosen chose to call my mother instead of me. The thought flooded my mind with the disturbing words Mr. Dawson spoke, which in turn morphed into thoughts of my father being swindled posthumously. In that instant, I became angry beyond words and scrambled to my feet. Beth wouldn’t return fast enough; the only comfort would be a distraction. Without a second thought, I grabbed my keys and bolted out the door.
My BMW weaved in and out of traffic just a bit over the speed limit. I figured if I could somehow get lost, trying to find my way back would be an excellent distraction. I drove until the buildings were less familiar and then I stopped paying attention to the street signs. When I was no longer in Providence, I slowed down to make a u-turn to start the challenge of finding my way home. I veered off a bit to the shoulder before making the turn, and then my car bobbled over an unseen object as I pulled my steering wheel in the opposite direction.
“Damn it!”
I peered into my rearview mirror, searching for what I’d run over to decide whether I should pull over to assess any damages. In the next moment I saw the reflective twisted metal and
Similar Books
