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With that, he hangs up and I’m left reeling.What the hell is going on? I have no idea what to believe.
I’m staring into space, my mind racing with too much information, when my alarm goes off, telling me I’m late.Shit. Slipping into my shoes, I grab my bag and race out of the house, only remembering halfway there that I left my lunch on the counter.
The work phone’s ringing as I unlock the door, and after dropping everything and running, I manage to pick it up just in time.
“Audrey’s Gifts and Homeware. This is Willow.”
“You made it,” Sara says with a light chuckle.
“Are you checking up on me?” I huff out, catching my breath.
“I’m not, but I just passed your mom on her way to you and wanted to give you the heads-up.”
My shoulders drop as my head falls back with a groan. That’s all I need right now. I should be calling Jesse. “Thank you. It’s always better to be prepared when it comes to my Mom,” I say, pushing the Tate issue out of my mind until I have more time to process it.
“At the risk of pissing you off… Can you cut her a little bit of slack?”
“What?”
“She thought she lost you. Twice. I know she’s been overprotective and—”
“A bitch. She’s been a bitch.”
“Okay, yes. She hasn’t been particularly nice to you. But she’s stressed. She’s about to become a grandmother—”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s feeling older all of a sudden. Or nervous for Ashley. I know my pregnancy was stressful, and the only person that knew, other than Grant, was my mom.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not making excuses, just…be nice if she’s there to make amends.”
The chime at the door rings, and Mom’s voice filters through the building. “Willow?”
“She’s here. I better go, and I will.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m here,” I call out as I hang up the phone, waiting for Mom to reach the counter. Sometimes, I hate having a long, skinny shop, but then an image of Jesse pushing me against the back wall hits my mind and my heart races. Maybe it’s not so bad having a blind spot.
I hear Mom mumbling to herself and I roll my eyes. By the time she reaches me, she has a hesitant smile. “It’s nice to see you actually working,” she says, her lips pursing. “Poor Sara’s been worked to the bone.”
Of course, she’d point out my flaws. She was always hard on me, but there was a time when we had a great relationship. I’m not even sure what went wrong. “I already feel the guilt; I don’t need you adding to it. Hi, by the way.”
“Hi to you too. I didn’t think we said ‘hi’ anymore. You practically bowled me over last week without even acknowledging it.”
Jesus. “I did? Mom, I promise, I didn’t see you.”
“Oh, I know. You’re busy, busy,” she mocks. “You must love spending time with Pippa, since you’re always there.”
“She’s my sister. Of course, I love it.”
“What else do you love about the city?”
“A few things, but I don’t love it all. I’m sorry, did you come by for something?”
“Yes! I came by to see my daughter. The daughter of mine that seems to have disappeared off the radar.”
