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“To protect.” Protect? Who me? That can’t be right. I have never met this woman in my life. She must mean Daisy, but that begs the question why as well. Who is Janet to Daisy?
“How long must we wait Janet?” Daisy asks. Maybe she’s finally realising we are sitting ducks.
Janet looks at her phone. “She’s here. I promise everything will be explained. Please, just sit Callie.” I realise I have risen to my feet, ready to fight. I can’t sit back down, not until I know who is walking through that door. Janet tells us to wait whilst she goes to greet whoever the hell is here. My heartbeat is pounding, my limbs feel electrified. I steady my breathing. I’m ready.
Janet re-renters the den. And then my world stops. The woman trailing behind Janet’s isn’t Betty, but she is a younger version. It’s not possible! I cannot be seeing this person. I look at Daisy, who has gone white as a sheet. No, no, no, it’s not fucking possible.
“Callie?” That voice, the one that would read me a bedtime story, the one that would sing to me when I had a nightmare, the one that I haven’t heard for twenty years.
“What the fuck is this?” My brain isn’t ready to accept what my eyes are seeing! “Daisy, what is this?” I need her to give me answers, but she looks just as confused and shocked as me. I want to run. This is too much. After everything I have been through, alone, I can’t deal with this.
“Callie, I know you’re confused, but please let me explain.” How the fuck is my mother who died twenty years ago going to explain this to me?
“You’re not real, you’re dead.” I sound like a scared child. I can hear it in my voice. This woman cannot be my mum, she simply can’t and yet as I look at her, I know she is. Her hair is the same fiery red as mine. Her eyes are the same blue and they sparkle just as I remember. Her face is older, but she still looks like my mum.
“Janet, can you get her a drink?” Janet hops to it and hands me a glass of brandy. I didn’t drink the first one she gave me, but this time I throw it down my throat. My hands are trembling. I feel an arm snake around my waist. Daisy is almost propping me up. I hadn’t realised I was almost collapsed against the arm of the couch.
“Someone explain now.” Daisy is no longer looking surprised. She is looking fierce, she is protecting me.
My mum slips off her coat and sits in the closest chair. Her eyes never leave mine. “Callie, I’m so sorry.” I want to laugh at her. Sorry, what fucking use is that to me? “I never wanted to leave you behind. I tried everything to get you out with me, but your nan had an iron grip on you.”
“I don’t understand,” I stutter. Daisy helps lower me to the couch. I’m not sure how much longer my legs can hold me up. Everything feels weak.
“You know I worked for the business?” I nod. “I never wanted to, Callie, never. But you know, just like me, that it was never a choice. I spent years trying to figure out how to get us away from her, but it was useless.”
“But you did get away. You left me.”
“Only because I had no other choice. Your nan never let you out of her sight, not from the day you were born. You were her heir, the one who was going to keep the business alive when she retired.”
“You could have faked both of our deaths.”
“No, I couldn’t because she never,evergave me the opportunity to have you alone long enough. I know you won’t remember. You were too little, but even when it was just you and me, we were always watched.” I don’t remember that, I just remember having fun with my mum. “I was expendable to her, and I used that to my advantage. I knew that if I died she wouldn’t question it, as long as it was plausible. Car accidents happen all the time.”
“Twenty years, mum, that’s how long you’ve been gone. I’ve dealt with this on my own for two decades.”
“I know, honey, and I’m so sorry. My plan was to escape and then start working to bring her down.”
“Well, what the fuck happened then because she’s still going strong and I have been alone.”
“You’ve never been alone, Callie. I had people watching out for you. Those people were working towards getting the one thing I needed to finally end the family business. The black book. My people tried for years to find it, but Betty never slipped up. No one knew where to find it. No one but you, Callie.
“I watched and waited and then finally you made a break for it. Believe me when I say I wanted to scoop you up the moment you ran, but, hell love, you were too good at hiding, even from me. You disappeared completely.”
“Like mother, like daughter.”
“I deserve that. I know it’s going to take time, Callie, and I hope one day you will forgive me. Just know I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never leave you again.” Her words should be music to my ears, but I can’t trust them. Not yet.
“How does Daisy fit into this?” I feel Daisy sit up straighter, her gaze is solidly on Janet. I can tell she feels betrayed.
“When you first disappeared, we kept an eye on all your associates. Daisy was the only one that stuck out. She was relentless with her search for you. I looked into her deeper and realised she would be an asset to my company.”
“Your company?” Daisy asks. I still don’t know what company Daisy works for.
“Yes, mine. I squirrelled away a substantial amount of money before leaving. I used it to start my own company.
“What the hell do you all do?” Jesus, this is ridiculous.
“I can’t tell you that, love,” Mum says. I roll my eyes because, seriously!
