Page 64 of The Master

I was tornbetween staying until Mona left and going back to my apartment like I’d told Nate I was going to.

It wasn’t like I had to physically worry about Mom. Even at her worst with us, Mona had never been violent, but now she looked like a strong wind would blow her over. I did, however, worry that Mom would feel obligated to take care of the woman she once loved. Maybe not obligated, I admitted to myself, but maybe overly compassionate, which would then translate into the need to nurse Mona through her final months.

On the other hand, staying wasn’t entirely appealing. I’d said everything I’d come to say, and it’d wrung me out emotionally. I didn’t have the strength or the patience to make small talk or reminisce. Especially now that I knew I could be spending my time cleaning my home. The cops had gotten everything they’d needed, but it wasn’t their job to put everything back together again. That was on me.

Besides, I needed to know if I’d even be able to feel safe enough to stay there. If I didn’t, I needed to figure out what that meant. Finley had said I could stay with him any time I needed to, but with what Nate had just told me, I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. I didn’t want to be in the middle of what was going on with them.

“Thank you for helping me clean up,” Mom said as she came back into the kitchen. “You didn’t have to do that. You could’ve just excused yourself to talk to Nate.”

I was glad she didn’t ask why I’d wanted privacy to talk to Nate. I’d assumed he’d want to know how the dinner went, which wasn’t something I’d wanted to discuss with my mom and Mona sitting right there. He hadn’t asked, though. Considering the shock he’d gotten, I completely understood why he hadn’t.

He and Finley had been so close for so many years, it had to have completely thrown him for a loop to find out that the woman who’d used him and then kicked him out was Finley’s sister. If my head was spinning, I could only imagine what his was doing.

“I figured I could be useful at the same time.” I kissed Mom on the cheek. “How are you doing?”

She thought before answering. “Still processing, but I’m glad she’s here. For you as much as for me. I think no matter how much we’d moved on, there would always be a part of us that would always be hurting, but now we can have real closure.” She patted my cheek. “What about you?”

“I’m glad I stayed. I think I needed to hear what she had to say as much as she needed to say it.” I put away the last glass. “Where do we go from here?”

“I don’t know,” Mom said. “I think that’s something that will have to be dealt with one day at a time for right now.”

I nodded. “Well, I know where this day is supposed to end.”

“I don’t know if I like the idea of you being at your apartment alone.”

Since I hadn’t realized my journal had been stolen until Mom called to tell me about the latest gossip, I’d filled her in on the robbery then. With everything else going on, my apartment wasn’t exactly top priority while the scene was still being processed. Now, however, was perfect timing. Something that needed done but didn’t require a lot of brainpower.

“I don’t think anyone’s coming back. Whoever they were, they already got my journals and trashed the place. Besides, I already texted Perry and Gary to ask if they’d mind keeping me company for a bit while I clean up.”

“It just worries me,” Mom said.

“I know, but if they chase me away from my home, then they’ve won, and I refuse to let that happen.”

The smile she gave me had the fire in it that I’d inherited. I wasn’t the most outgoing person, but I could be stubborn as hell when I wanted to be.

“I’m going to call Owen.”

Thirty-five minutes later, Owen followed me up the stairs to the apartment. He’d told me that the super had replaced the door once the police were done and then he’d given me new keys. I didn’t ask, but I suspected that the super had been given extra incentive to get me a new door. Yet another way Nate was taking care of me.

I just wished he’d let me do the same for him.

I wasn’t upset that he hadn’t asked about the dinner, or at least not for my own sake. I knew how upset he must’ve been to forget to ask, and I just wanted to help him through it the same way he’d been with me through this entire mess. I knew he thought this was all his fault, but I didn’t blame him. He wasn’t responsible for what some petty, vindictive women did.

“Thank you for bringing me home,” I said as I let myself into my apartment. “Gary and Perry will be over in a few minutes.”

“If it’s all the same to you, Miss Webb, I’d like to help you clean up.”

Yet another person feeling guilty about something that wasn’t his fault. At least this one had a fairly easy solution.

“That’s very kind of you, Owen. I would appreciate anything you can do before you need to go home.”

“I’m not going home, ma’am,” he said as he followed me inside. “Not any time soon, anyway. Mr. Lexington wants me to be here until the people involved with the break-in are caught.”

I gaped at him. “He can’t have you working twenty-four seven for that long.”

One corner of Owen’s mouth twitched like he wanted to smile. “It’s part of my job.”

“Knock knock!” Perry called as he rapped his knuckles on the door Owen had just closed.

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