Page 92 of Her Wicked Plan

I was down there briefly, hearing those women yelling and begging to be released. It’s enough to make my skin crawl and make me realize Veronica has to listen to them. Fuck that.

I’ve been back in my room for an hour, pacing back and forth, wondering how she’s doing there. I need to take my mind off it because I won’t get anything done if I don't. Deciding I need to talk to someone, I pick up my phone.

Myles is out of the question because he’s going to wanna know all the sexual details between me and Veronica. He’s going to be pissed that I haven’t updated him in a while, and I really don’t want to talk about it right now.

My mother comes to mind, but then I remember she told me to call my sister. It’s been a while since we’ve talked since I am busy with my job, and she is busy raising a child. I found her name on my phone, so don’t hesitate to click it.

After a couple of rings, she picks up. “Hey, big brother.”

“Hey, Chloe.” Hearing her voice brings an instant smile to my face.

“It’s been a while. I thought maybe you fell off the face of the Ear... Carter Elliot! Put that down!”

I laugh as I hear the pitter-patter of little feet running away from Chloe. Child laughter follows the footsteps as Carter giggles about whatever it is he is doing wrong.

“What’s he getting into now?”

She sighs. “I’m attempting to decorate for Easter. Do you know how difficult it is when you have a six-year-old who thinks everything is a toy? It’s hard,” she answers before I can. “I have this very fragile, tiny rabbit that I set on the coffee table for literally a second. I turned around to grab the matching one, and when I turned back, it was gone, and your nephew was racing down the hall waving it in the air like a lunatic.”

“Sounds like he’s in the stage of pushing buttons.”

“He’s been in this stage since he turned two.” She sighs. “He misses you and talks about you a lot.”

Well, that’s enough to shatter my heart. “I’m sorry, Chlo. Things have been busy.”

“No, I get it. Work was hectic in the city, and now, with this new job.” She doesn’t mean for the words to come out rude, but it does. I brush it off.

“Mom told you about it.”

“I mean, you didn’t.” The bite in her voice was fierce. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you; it’s just that we used to be super close. Best friends. Now, we rarely talk.”

“I know, and I take full responsibility for us drifting apart. I guess I buried myself so deep in work that I never made time for family.”

“I hope you can make some time. We all miss you so much,” she states. “Will you be coming home for Thanksgiving?”

“Chloe, that's eight months away. I haven’t even thought about what I’m doing this weekend.”

“Right,” she says. “Are you at least going to come home for Mom's birthday? That would be a great present.”

Our mother's birthday is at the end of the month, April 26th, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. “I’m going to try. If I can get someone to take over my patients when I’m gone, I don’t see how it would be an issue.”

“Good! That’s progress!” She beams with excitement. “Hold on... Carter! Guess who is on the phone? Uncle Leo!”

“Uncle Leo!!!!” I hear him scream my name, and the heart in my chest that has shattered pieces is put back together. The phone is no longer in Chloe’s hand because I can hear him clearly. “Hi, Uncle Leo!”

“Hey bud! You give your mom trouble?”

“No.”

“Hmm, that’s not what I heard.” I grin at the tiny groan that comes from him. “Give momma back the rabbit. If it breaks, it would make her pretty sad.”

“Oh.” His voice drops, and then I hear Chloe say a soft thank you as he hands it back to her.

“Uncle Leo, are you coming over soon? Mommy got me some new toys for being a good listener at school, and I want to show you them!”

“I’m gonna come over soon.”

“Today?” he asks eagerly.