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“You could have stayed here.”
“I know.” He kissed her cheek and walked into the house. It looked the same as the day he left. The dimness of the living room, the cloying smell of old dust buried deep in the fibers of the carpet, sent him hurrying toward the kitchen. “I didn’t want to bother you. I know you worked late.”
“It was quite a night. Do you want something to eat?” Her gaze, hungry in its perusal, took in his face.
“No, but I’ll take some coffee if you have it made.”
“Absolutely.” She smiled and gave her short-cropped dark hair a self-conscious pat as she approached the old coffee pot, filled a mug, and handed it to him.
He sat at the same yellow Formica table from his childhood and sipped his coffee. If he looked out the corner of his eye, he could almost see his father sitting to his right, his eyes glassy and mean, a cigarette riding high between his fingers.
Chase looked at his mother instead. “How are you? Really?”
“Fine. My work at the hospital keeps me busy, and I’ve joined the church choir. Reverend Carr is a grandfather now. Gillian Barnes and Nick got married and are raising his little girl, Bailey. She’s so adorable. Those two both left town but found their way back home and back to each other.”
“Glad to hear it. I always thought they would end up together.”
“Like you and Jacquie.” Her words were soft.
He steeled himself against the flood of feelings and memories that threatened to swamp him.
“Have you seen her yet?” Her probing gaze was back, boring into him.
“Just left her at the hospital. She’s a lot more stubborn than she used to be.”
“She was a cop in Raleigh for a long time. A detective, I believe.”
He still couldn’t imagine it. “Why did she come back?”
She shrugged. “One of her friends got in trouble and had to hide out here for a while. She reopened the Mountain Inn Coffee shop downtown. I believe she’s seeing Josh now.”
“Callie. Yes, I met her in Jacquie’s room. She brought muffins.”
“Her baking is delicious. Apparently, she had a very successful bakery in Raleigh. Had to shut it down after her business partner was murdered, poor thing.”
His mind wandered as his mother continued talking about the town, her church, her friends, and all the gossip. He looked around the room—the peeling linoleum floor, the old appliances, and forty years of depression seeped into the walls. Nope, nothing could ever make him come back home.
“Mom, you know you can ask me for anything, right?” He focused on her face, trying to read into her expression what was really going on. But her face was passive and tired like always.“Is there anything you need?”
“Everything is fine.” Her fingers plucked at the seam in the Formica table.
“Really?” He watched her, trying to read when she was being honest and when she wasn’t.She glanced around the room, seeming to be avoiding his eyes. Finally she looked at him and sighed.
“Of course. I’m fine.”
She didn’t look fine. Her pale face was gaunt, the bags under her eyes a tired pinkish purple. “Have you heard from Aiden?”
A shadow passed through her eyes.
“Why don’t you tell me what happened last night. You said you saw him at the hospital, and when you called out, he didn’t turn.”
Her fingers brushed the collar of her robe. “I … I’m not sure. I must have been mistaken.”She averted her gaze.
“Mom, there is no reason for me to be here if you aren’t going to be completely upfront about everything that has been going on.” He pushed his chair back.
“No, wait.” She looked up at him. “Please.”
He paused.
