Page 74 of My Darling Mayhem

She sipped her coffee, glaring at me from over the rim. "Not your whole life. You've picked a new name."

I needed to change the subject. "So, what brings you to town?"

"Perhaps I missed my daughter and wanted to see her." Her thin shoulders lifted as she returned the photo to its place on the side table.

I'd believe her if I didn't know her so well. It was the end of October, and her church was planning some sort of harvest festival.

"Okay, Mama. I'll let it go for now and get you set up in the office." I stood and walked toward the back of the house, trying not to get annoyed that she'd arrived just when it seemed of all the times, she shouldn't.

Brian: Did you get my email about the couple interested in Lot 42 in the Hemlock neighborhood?

The text came through while I was grocery shopping for my mother. She’d thankfully agreed to stay home with Cruz. I felt like I needed a moment to clear my head and process the silence from Archer. My gut was in knots over the idea that Thistle had told him about my connection to El Peligro.

I’d texted him several times, but he hadn’t replied yet, so I was annoyed when Brian’s text popped in.

Once I was in my car with the groceries loaded, I responded.

Me: Please direct all emails to Gwen.

My fingers drifted back to Archer’s text thread, seeing I’d already messaged him twice. Dammit. I couldn’t keep harassing him, but something felt off with my mother’s sudden appearance.

Brian: Wren, I’m not going through Gwen. I’m going through you…and then before you know it, I’ll be inside you, just like old times.

My fingers flew.

Me: FUCK OFF.

As I was staring at my phone, a call came through, which had me jumping.

It wasn’t Brian, and the area code wasn’t even local…I would never typically answer it, but I was too paranoid over what had happened with Saul and my mom showing up.

“Hello?”

There was a pause, and then, “Renny?”

The voice was familiar yet not. I had only heard it periodically from talking with my mom over the years or if she wanted to show me a video and he was in the background speaking. Yet, I knew it was him.

“Juan?”

My heart pounded chaotically in my chest, like a trapped bird in a cage.

“Yeah…it’s me. I wanted to?—”

I pulled my phone away from my ear and pressed my thumb to end the call.

I was going to throw up.

There were zero chances that I would start speaking to my brother again after almost twenty years, the day after what happened with Saul and now my mom. Something was wrong.

Was Archer in danger?

The number called again, but I ignored it and started toward home.

It was dinner time, and I still hadn’t heard back from Archer. My nerves were shot. I refused to ask my mother about my brother's calls. Her loyalties were more than clear. However, I was determined to wear my mom down and figure out why she was here.

She was stirring my son’s favorite soup while humming a song to herself when she suddenly stopped.

“You’re too thin and pale…”

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