Page 28 of Wild Escape

14

We pulled into the parking lot of the Serenity Shores, and I found a spot not far from the entrance. I killed the engine, hopped out, and moved around to grab Daphne's door.

She extended her hands and gave me a sad, pathetic look. "I really don't want my mom to have to see me like this. You can put them back on right after. I promise I won't be a naughty girl. Not unless you want me to."

I helped her out of the vehicle, but didn't take off the cuffs. I took her by the arm and escorted her into the lobby. We checked in at the front desk.

"I'm here to see Grace O’Connor," Daphne said.

Daphne signed in, and the receptionist’s eyes went wide when she saw the handcuffs.

“Don’t worry, I’m harmless,” Daphne said.

“I don’t even want to know.”

Daphne led me down the hallway in the west wing.

The place had that smell. Disinfectant mixed with soiled adult diapers. These kinds of places always gave me the shivers. Nothing frightened me more than the inevitable march of time.

We stopped just outside a door that was slightly ajar. The TV was on, and the room was dim.

"If she asks, you're my new boyfriend,” Daphne said.

I stopped her before she went in. Against my better judgment, I released the handcuffs. She rubbed her wrists that had deep grooves in them.

"If you give me any trouble, I swear to God…"

"I promise, I'll be on my best behavior."

Daphne pushed into the room, and I followed. We walked down a short foyer past the bathroom on the left, then a small kitchenette. The room shared a similar layout to a standard hotel. There was a small sitting area, a queen-size bed, and a wall unit for air-conditioning. Pale blue walls and mass-market art. A window opened to a yard that offered some greenery.

Daphne’s mother sat in a recliner, zoned out, watching TV. She didn't react when we entered the room.

"Hey, Mom. It's me.”

The woman didn't respond.

Her mother was in her late 50s with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a thin frame. She was young to be living in an assisted facility like this.

"Mom, it's me, Daphne," she said again.

Her mother finally looked at her with a face wrinkled from confusion. She didn’t know who the hell Daphne was.

"I just thought I'd make sure you’re okay. I know it's been a while. I'm sorry. I will try to come more often."

Her mother kept looking at her, confused, then her gaze returned to the television.

"This is my friend, Tyson," Daphne said, introducing me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," I said.

Daphne leaned in and whispered in her mother's ear, "He's a real catch, isn’t he?"

Daphne winked at me.

Her mother's eyes flicked to me for a second, and an almost imperceptible smile tugged her thin lips. She looked back at the television again.

Daphne’s eyes brimmed. It was hard to watch. "Do you need anything? Are they taking care of you?"