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Genevieve continued, “The class had a last-minute cancellation, so I snapped it up.”
“Wait. Auntie isn’t going with you?”
Her mother sounded almost gleeful as she said, “Nope.
It’s just me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Well, I don’t have time to explain.” Genevieve opened the drawer of her built-in desk and removed an envelope of cash, which she slipped into her purse. “Where is that extra phone charger of mine?”
She snapped her fingers and exited the kitchen.
Willow followed her mother into the great room, where she tugged a charger free from a wall plug. Willow’s gaze locked on the wheeled suitcase and matching tote waiting beside the front door, and her world narrowed to the set of Louis Vuitton.No! Mom, you can’t leave. Not now. I have to decide what to do.“But Mom. Ineedyou!”
Genevieve turned around, the cord dangling from her hand, her eyes glittering with exasperation. “Willow, I’m sorry, butIneed this trip. I love you and the children to the moon and back, but the world can’t always revolve around your needs. Today, I’m making myself a priority. I need some balance in my life. I’m sure you can find another babysitter for the next two weeks.”
This isn’t about babysitting!“But Mom, wait a minute.”
“I don’t have a minute,” Genevieve said, heading for the door as the bell chimed. “Here’s my car.”
Willow stood in speechless shock as her mother greeted an older man wearing a blue polo shirt and khaki slacks who stood on the front stoop. “Mrs. Prentice? I’m Mark with Allied Car Service.”
“Wonderful to meet you, Mark. I’m ready to go.”
He gestured toward her bags. “Is this it?”
“Yes.”
The driver took the bags. Genevieve returned to the kitchen for her purse, then hurried past Willow, pausing only to brush a quick kiss on her cheek. “Bye, hon. Please lock up when you leave. You have a key.”
The front door shut behind her with a firm thump.
Willow stood in her mother’s living room, dazed and dismayed. The sound of a trunk slamming shook her from her stupor, and she rushed outside. Her mother was climbing into the back of a black sedan. “Mom? Mom. Mom! Listen, please!”
With one leg in the car, her mother halted and Willow hurried to say, “I didn’t come for babysitting. I wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with you. About Andy and everything. I want to try to clear the air.”
For a long moment, Genevieve stood frozen in place. Then she lowered her sunglasses and peered over their top toward her daughter. “You have spectacular timing, Willow.”
Willow gave her a troubled smile. “Apparently so.”
“Oh, honey.” Genevieve’s fingers drummed against the car door for a good fifteen seconds before she lowered her leg to the ground and stepped away from the car. “I’ve wanted to have this talk with you for years. I can stay.”
Okay, good.Willow expelled a sigh of relief, but then the expression on her mother’s face gave her pause. The excitement had gone from Genevieve Prentice’s countenance. A minute ago, she’d been happy and eager. Now, her mother looked disappointed and tense.
Willow’s stomach dipped. This was wrong. She shouldn’t expect her mother to drop everything just so that her grown daughter could cry on her shoulder about things thathappened years ago. No one was bleeding. This wasn’t a matter of life and death.Grow up, Willow. Mom obviously has something going on. You need to stand on your own two feet here.“Mom? This trip is important to you, isn’t it?”
Genevieve gazed at Willow solemnly. “Yes, it is.”
“Then you should go. This conversation has kept for a decade. There’s no reason why it can’t keep for another two weeks.”
“Are you sure?”
Maggie Eldridge would push for an answer on Wednesday, yes, but Willow suddenly knew what she needed to do. She needed to be brave like her mother—for herself and for her children.
“I’m sure, Mom. You go ahead to New Mexico.”
“We will have this talk when I get home?”
