Page 90 of The Revenge

Bringing Payne here would be helpful, so I can keep an eye on my mom, but I don’t want to have to explain everything to her. She only needs to know Cole should be coming home, and not what I’ve been through to make that happen.

I text him the address of the bar down the street. It’s the only place that’s close and will be open later this evening... and if my mom decides to get a drink, it’s the closest place she can get anything.

The sound of the water turning off makes me stick my phone into my pocket and grab the towel that’s hanging on the back of my door. It smells musty, but it will do for now.

After handing the towel and clothes to my mom, I leave her to get dressed and go to make something for us to eat. Seeing the state of the refrigerator and cabinets, I splurged a little on the groceries, picking up a few items that were more on theluxurious side than normal, like chicken and a few vegetables to make something resembling a roast for dinner tomorrow. The rest are staples. And while they might be better for her to eat, a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup is quick and easy.

While everything is cooking, I quickly finish cleaning up our small dinner table before I bring through the two small bowls and a plate of sliced grilled cheese to share.

Mom is already sitting at the table. Her hair is still wet from the shower, but she already looks a lot better. We eat in silence because, although I have a lot I need to tell her, I’d like the meal to work a little magic on her first.

She finishes before me, pushing the bowl away from her as she sits back in the chair. “If I knew you were coming home, I’d have cleaned up a little.”

In our previous life, we had a housekeeper. Nothing like the number of employees Syn has, but still, a woman who was responsible for cleaning and cooking. My mom barely did anything. Neither had I, to be fair. When we moved here, it was me who had figured it all out while Mom curled up into a ball on the couch and watched Netflix all day.

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’m here now. Maybe we can work together to finish cleaning up? Get the place looking a little nicer?”

Our living room already looks a million times better from clearing all the empty bottles out. My mom looks around and nods.

“Mom, I came home because I have some good news. They found the person who really killed James Patrick Keyingham. There are lawyers already working on getting Cole released. He should be home with us soon.”

“Released?” Mom stares blankly at me. “He confessed.”

I shake my head. “He didn’t do it. He was forced to take the blame.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because someone threatened to hurt us. But don’t worry,” I quickly tell her. “That’s taken care of too.”

Mom’s eyes start to well up. “He’s coming home?”

I nod, giving her a bright smile. “The lawyers will be in touch, but I don’t think it will be long. Maybe even by the end of the year.”

“What about your father? Is he coming home too?” she asks, her wide eyes full of hope and expectation.

My smile remains fixed on my face, even though it’s now there by force.

I’ve not heard from Dad since he left, nor do I have any idea where to even find him. And I’m not even sure I want to look for him. My mom is the way she is because she lost her husband, her son, and as much as it shames me to admit it, she lost me for a while—even if it was temporary. But no matter how hard it has been, at least she’s still here.

“Cole’s release should make the news,” I tell her, trying not to tell a lie I’ll regret in the future.

Looking the happiest I’ve seen her in such a long time, my mom stacks the plates and gets to her feet. “We need to get this place looking clean and tidy for them. We should start looking for a new place to live. It will be a tight squeeze in here. And a cake. We need a cake. I’ll have to order one from Indulgent Bakes. Cole loves Red Velvet…” Mom continues talking excitedly to herself as she heads into the kitchen.

I don’t have the heart to point out that Indulgent Bakes is the very expensive bakery we used to buy cakes for all the occasions when we had money. Instead, I tell her that we can figure it out after we know when Cole’s coming home. That satisfies her enough to have her humming to herself as she starts straightening the living room.

For most of the afternoon, I keep myself busy cleaning the bathroom, and my mom’s bedroom. By the time I’m done, there’s more things in the laundry pile instead of the drawers and closets. There’s enough clothes to get her through the next few days, but all of her bedsheets… gross.

There’s still a while before I need to meet Payne, and as the laundromat is open twenty-four hours, I gather all the bedsheets together and squish them into the oversized bag I found for that exact purpose.

“Mom, I’m going to go do some laundry. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

Mom’s already sitting on the couch, watching television. “Okay,” she says without looking up.

I put my coat on, and then sling the bag over my shoulder.

Outside, the streetlights are already turning on. The temperature feels like it has dropped a few more degrees since I went to the grocery store, making me wish I had a pair of gloves. The laundromat is only a block over, and it’s completely empty when I arrive. Not that I’m surprised—who wants to be here on the last weekend before Christmas?

This neighborhood isn’t one of the best, but it looks rougher than it is. The laundromat is one that doesn’t have someone manning it, and while a few machines don’t work, there’s never any heat, and there’s more graffiti than paint, but there seems to be an unspoken rule that this is a place so many people need, so it’s off limits to any major damage.

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