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“We’re fine. The house smells like paint at the moment while they’re finishing up some detail work. We’re thinking about selling—I don’t know.”
“Oh, wow.” My heart constricted. I’d always loved that house.
“You know we’re getting older and could use less to keep up with.”
“You’re barely over forty.”
“I’m fifty next year. And your dad’s closer to sixty. We’re thinking about it. You and your brother are both far away.”
“Where is Will right now?” I’d totally lost track of my brother over the last two months.
“Argentina. He’s talking about spending next summer with you.”
“Huh. That’d be nice.”
She cleared her throat. “Is Hank there this weekend? He texted us a little last week…”
I glanced over my shoulder but couldn’t see Hank through the big windows. “He is. Not sure why he came though—he can’t stand to look at me.”
She grunted. “Well, put yourself in his shoes. You’ve beenin the news a lot, honey. I had to stop watching—made me too angry.”
“I’m ignoring all of it. Except now I’ve hired a PR company and they say we need to get ahead of it. Lean into the brand. Engage the audience.”
“What does all that mean?”
I poured myself a glass of wine. “Trying to figure that out. I think I want to talk about dealing with abusive men—in a frank way, with a positive vibe. Tell my story.”
“Okay. I like it.”
“Good.” I swirled the rosé around in my glass. “Are you selling because you don’t feel safe in that house, after the attack?”
Her fingernails tapped on something. She always had gorgeously manicured hands. “You know what, I hadn’t realized it until now, but that’s part of it. With Hank’s mom leaving, and some other friends of ours too, the neighborhood is changing.”
“I’m sorry, Mama. This whole thing has been a disaster.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, my throat tight.
“Honey, I know you’ve done your best. It’s a whole mess of trouble that’s landed in your lap.”
I bent forward and laid my head in my arms. What I wanted was to go back in time to being a normal college kid, poor but excited about what came next. “Thanks.”
“I’ve gotta run—and you’ve got company.”
“Okay, love ya.”
“You too, honey.”
I made Hank a dinner plate then headed into the backyard to find him. Hazel was cleaning all the deck furniture. I set Hank’s plate on a table.
Charley yipped and barked at me from his dog enclosure with a doghouse and bed, close to the house. I went over andtook my licks and tail lashing, petting and hugging him in close. “How was he today, Hazel?”
“Great.” She gathered up her rags and bottles. “Still trying to get in the pool. I don’t trust him out here for a second.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “I’ll have to put up a gate around the water.”
She nodded. “I’m done for the day. Layla is staying at Forest’s, she told me.”
“For good?”
“I’m not sure. She packed a big bag.”
