Page 74 of Veiled in Brick

I smiled, the sound of her a distraction itself that was warm and welcome, and caught Liam’s nervous glance as I said, “Mom.”

He continued to murmur quietly to Cassie as they sat across from each other, and I turned away from them, walking slowly back and forth in front of the couch as I conversed with my mother. I could practically see her eyes, bright green like mine, rolling at me sarcastically as she spoke.

“I’m beginning to think you’re starting to ignore me, dear.”

“I’m not ignoring you,” I laughed. “I’ve been busy.”

Yes, I’ve been preoccupied with an assault from my aforementioned stalker and a budding something with my best friend whom I have yet to mention to my mother because he’s a guy and, well, she knows me.

“Yes, I’m sure you’ve been too busy for a five-minute phone call,” she scoffed jokingly, continuing on without even taking a breath. “Despite how very hurt I am at you ghosting me—”

“You know what ghosting means?”

“I’m up with the times, dear—like I was saying, despite that, I was thinking you’d want to come visit.” I heard the gentle sound of a mug against granite, and I could easily picture her. Long, blonde hair gathered in a large clip that rested atop her head, I knew she was sitting at the kitchen island’s bar. She was drinking chai—not coffee. She abhorred coffee. Her phone most likely sat on the counter in front of her on speaker, and she spoke to it whilst waving a hand about madly. “You know,” she pressed, “show your beautiful face to the two people who raised you. Lovingly. For eighteen years.”

“Yeah, yeah.” My childhood home was a place that I was always able to find comfort in, and the thought was remarkably appealing. Considering the stress that had rapidly been placed on my shoulders, getting out of town for a few days sounded…right. My next words all but fell out of my mouth. “I’m off work today and tomorrow, actually.”

I turned once again as I paced, noticing that Liam and Cassie’s conversation appeared to have died down. Liam watched me from where he sat, tilting his head in silent question, and I waved him away.

“Bit of a drive for a dinner and a sleepover,” my mother noted, “but I’ll take it.”

“I’ll take another day if I can swing it,” I replied with a shrug, as the thought of a change of scenery made the time to drive all the way to Ogden, North Carolina irrelevant to me. “See you for dinner?”

“Sounds like a plan—you’ll bring Claire?”

“I’ll ask her.”

“She’s welcome to bring the boy if she’d like; he was nice.”

Claire and Luke had tagged along for my last visit home. Luke had met my parents which, admittedly, was as if he were meeting Claire’s parents, and it had gone swimmingly. I was certain he would be more than amenable to another trip.

“I’ll let her know,” I said.

“Alright, well,” my mother responded with a sigh as if I were being a gigantic burden, and I could see the twinkle in her eye already. “I should probably get cleaning—you gave me very little notice, really.”

“Uh huh—bye, Mom.”

“Bye, dear.”

“Your mom?” Liam asked as I ended the call.

“Yeah—turns out, I’m going to dinner.”

“Oh.” The gears visibly turned in his mind. “Ah—where?”

“Back home,” I clarified.

Liam hesitated in his response, setting his mug on the table with a soft clunk. “Is now the best time to be going on a road trip by yourself?”

Cassie pressed her lips together and looked to the floor.

I remarked, “Claire and Luke will probably tag along, I won’t be alone.”

The anticipation of getting out of town running through me with a gentle thrum in my veins, I began to tap on the front of my phone to call Claire. I held it to my ear, and after the first ring, Liam announced just loud enough for me to hear:

“I don’t think you should be going anywhere right now, Zo’.”

I sighed at the tense expression on his face.

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