Page 39 of Craving Francesca

“She’ll come home when she’s ready.”

“So, never,” Mom said with a sigh as she pulled into the clinic’s driveway.

She let out a whistle as she parked right next to Frankie’s Tahoe. “You want to talk about this instead?”

“Nothin’ to talk about.”

“I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that’s unequivocally false.”

“Saw her from across the street.”

“You were at the diner?” she asked. “That’s a strange coincidence.”

I shrugged. “Protesters hassled her on the way in.”

“There aren’t any out there now.”

“Me and the boys took care of it.”

“Oh,really?”

“Made sure they were gone by the time she got done,” I continued, ignoring the smirk on her face. “So, she didn’t have to deal with that shit on the way out.”

“Okay, so I raised you right. But that doesn’t explain why her car is still here, and she’s not.”

I paused with my hand on the door handle. “She was pretty out of it, Ma,” I said, leaning back in my seat. “Didn’t think it was safe for her to drive home.”

“Out of it, how?” she asked, her gaze sharpening.

“Total space cadet. She pretty much just followed wherever I led.”

“That doesn’t sound like Frankie.”

“No shit.”

“Did she tell you anything?”

I shook my head sharply. “Didn’t think it was the time to ask.”

“You’re probably right.”

“She was in bed when I left the house. Climbed in with her shoes on.”

“Shit,” Mom said quietly.

“Not sure if I should just drop the Tahoe off and leave or stay with her until Lou gets home.”

“Did you call Lou or Myla?”

“She didn’t want me to.” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Pretty sure she doesn’t want anyone to know.”

“The boys—”

“They didn’t realize she was inside,” I explained. “Made sure they were gone before she came back out.”

Mom smiled and reached out to pat my cheek. “I did a good job with you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

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