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Briskly making her way down the hallway, she reached her mother’s door relatively fast. Her eyes drew closed as she drew in a deep breath and ever so slowly, released it, hoping to blow away the pain in her leg and the queasy feeling in her stomach. The thought of going to the cemetery for her father always made her stomach unhappy.
Lifting her arm, knocking twice and opening the door, she smiled as her mom sat in her wheelchair, dressed in the gorgeous black chiffon dress she’d worn to the funeral. It was her cemetery attire since that day.
“Looks like you’re all ready to go.” Moving into the room, she bent forward and kissed her mother’s cheek. Then she moved behind the wheelchair that was her mother’s new mode of transportation and began moving her out of the room and down the hall.
“I was worried last night when I didn’t hear from you. Are you all right?”
Smiling at how all right she was, she simply said, “Yes, I’m fine. I was busy last night.” Grateful that her mother couldn’t see the blush that crept up her neck and landed in her cheeks.
“Not working late, I hope. Honey, you have to take it easy and not overdo it.”
“It’s all right, Momma, I wasn’t working.”
They exited the building and reached the car, which she was able to park in the closest spot to the door. Getting her mother into the car was a production by itself on an average day, but a trip to the cemetery seemed to make her mother needier and feeling sorry for herself. It always puzzled her why this independent woman suddenly behaved like a helpless child.
After stowing her mother’s wheelchair in the trunk, she slid into the driver’s seat and began their journey to the cemetery.
Her mind wandered to David, and she thought she’d call him as soon as they got to the cemetery; surely, he’d be awake by now. Then she wondered what they would end up doing today. Three motorcycles passed her, and she followed them with her eyes as she saw the smiles on their faces. The woman on the back looked happy and content. She’d try riding with David if that’s what he wanted to do. Her counselor had told her to open herself up to new experiences. As much as it scared her, she’d give it a try. Wrapping her arms around him and laying her head on his back would be a bonus.
“You seem awfully deep in thought. What’s going on with you?” Her mother’s perception was still keen. As a mother, you’re always perceptive of your children’s needs and wants.
“Mom. Something great has happened. Don’t get too excited yet, because it’s all still so new, and while I feel positive about it all, I don’t want you to get your hopes up just yet.” She navigated a corner and stared straight ahead, collecting her thoughts.
“It’s David. We’re … I’ve found him. We’re taking it slow, but we’re trying to figure it all out.”
A sob escaped her mother’s lips as her hand flew to her mouth. Glancing at her mom’s delicate body, now so frail and thin, she saw moisture gather in her hazel eyes. Her mother’s hair, now pure white, had been the same color as hers back in the day. Now she almost always wore it in a bun at the back of her head. The high neck of the black dress she wore made her skin look especially pale today. Her wrinkled hand, still covering her mouth was so thin it outlined every bone and vein. For the first time, she realized just how old her mother was, though seventy-four wasn’t ancient; for someone who had lived a life like she had, it was pretty damned old.
“Kiera. I don’t know what to say.” Shaking fingers fussed with the clasp on her little black purse. Reaching inside, she pulled a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. She cleared her throat. “How did you find him?”
Swallowing the emotion that rose in her body watching her mother’s reaction, she said, “He found me. It was an accident actually. He’s very good friends with Gray, my boss.”
Swiping at her nose, her mother straightened her posture, sniffed and replied, “That’s a sign, isn’t it?”
She snickered. “We were just talking about that.”
After parking the car and giving herself a moment to adjust, she popped the lid on the trunk. She limped to the back of the car to get out the wheelchair and open it for her mother. After wheeling it around to the passenger side, her mother opened the door and proceeded to stand on shaky legs, holding the door and the seat back for support. She leaned forward and placed her hands on the armrests of the wheelchair, then turned and plopped into the seat.
Kiera closed the car door and then the trunk lid and began wheeling her mother to the front gates of the cemetery entrance.
“Is he good to you?” Her mother’s shaky voice could be heard above the chirping of the birds in the trees, but just barely.
“Yes. But, we’ve only just begun to … date?”
“Why is that a question?”
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure we’re dating yet. We spent the day with each other yesterday. We had dinner last night.”
She heard her mother sniff, but she said no more. Walking through the stone and iron gates, the cemetery was colored in red, white, and blue. Flags either left over from Memorial Day or newly placed on the graves of fallen veterans waved in the breeze, creating a happy view. If looking at graves could ever be happy. The headstone of Vanessa floated through her mind, and she lightly shook her head to rid herself of the memory. She didn’t go back to the cemetery where Vanessa’s stone was. Nicholas was buried right next to her at the insistence of his mother. But, Kiera held strong in what she wanted, contacted the mortuary and had Vanessa cremated, her remains given to Kiera privately the week after the funerals. No one knew except her mother and her. Two years ago, they drove to South Carolina and spread her ashes along the coast—the place Vanessa loved so much. Nicholas had a vacation home there, and once a year, he would take her and Vanessa to the house on the beach. She barely saw him while they were on the beach because he’d be working, and she preferred it that way. But, Vanessa spent as much time as she could on the beach and proudly boasted that when she grew up, she was going to live there.
Nicholas’ mother sold the house after they passed. Nothing was in Kiera’s name except the condo she lived in in Madison. That was fine; she didn’t want his money anyway. Or to have to do anything with his illegal businesses. Good riddance.
19
Stretching, he glanced over at the side of the bed and wrinkled his brow at the empty space beside him. Pulling his wrist up, he checked his Fitbit and saw the time was eight-thirty. He hadn’t slept that late in a long time. Very long time. He’d slept good too. The aroma of fresh coffee perked up his nose, and he sat up, glanced around the room for his clothes, and began pulling on his boxers and his jeans. He picked up his shirt, but tossed it on the foot of the bed, grabbed his phone from his back pocket to check for messages. None. Good start to the day.
Turning to walk into the bathroom, he did his business, washed his hands and rinsed his mouth. Where did he put his toiletry bag? He made his way to the kitchen where he saw the pot full of coffee and the cup sitting there. Smiling at her thoughtfulness, he poured himself a cup, sprinkled a little creamer in it that was sitting by the pot and mentally told himself to thank Kiera for being so thoughtful. She remembered he drank his coffee with a bit of creamer and no sugar.
He headed toward her office at the back of the condo, just down the hall from her bedroom. No one there. Furrowing his brows together and tamping down the panic that began to rise, he headed back to the kitchen to look for a note.
