Page 157 of One Good Reason

“I guess it must’ve slipped my mind,” I lied. I hadn’t saw or heard a peep from him in over a week, but I wouldn’t dare tell Rossi that.

“Oh okay.” He eyed me skeptically. “You look different. What is it?”

“Grief.” I sighed. “It’s been kicking my ass,” I admitted. “But I’ll be okay.”

“If you need a girls night, just say that.” he sang.

“Rain check,” I pleaded. “I’m trying to learn how to be alone. You know discovering things about myself that I never knew.”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“Bitch!” I drawled. “It ain’t. I’m ready to come back to work. I need something to keep my mind occupied but I also understand the importance of pacing myself.”

“Right. We don’t want you to rush and come back. Everything here has been running smoothly. You just lost your Earth; take all the time you need to heal. This place will be here when you get back.”

“You are absolutely right. Let me get going. I got what I came for.”

“Call me if you need anything, Tali. I mean that. Anything. Give me a call,” he contended after pulling me into a hug.

“I will. Tell everyone I said hey.”

“Will do tutts.”

Tucking the white envelope under my arm I left the building and hopped into my car. The day I found out I was pregnant was the same day that Louise called asking if she could come get Gema. It was also the day I’d met the infamous Dahlia. I was late to work that morning because I had a doctor’s appointment to confirm my suspicions. Instead of taking the sonogram home, I’d dropped in the drawer of my desk.

I stopped by today so I could grab it and take it to Law. I needed to talk to him so we could make things right. So, Lake Spivey was my next stop. When I pulled up to the gate, I used the card and let myself in. Law had given me a key to the house months ago so I could come and go as often as I’d liked. I was hoping he was home so my trip out this way wouldn’t be for nothing.

Unlocking the door, I pushed it opened and was immediately greeted with the scent of cinnamon. The smell was so pungent it caused my stomach to turn. Jogging down the hall, I went into the guest bathroom and emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet. God, I hated that smell even before I found out I was pregnant.

After rinsing my mouth out with mouthwash, I toed up the steps to the master room. Doing my usual perusal around the room, I noticed that my things were still where I’d left them. The night we got the call about Gema, everything was a blur and moved in slow motion, I remember us not having time to pick up after ourselves.

Either Law was staying at the condo, or he wasn’t sleeping in this room. Walking out of the bedroom, I headed down the hall and peered into the guest bedroom. A few items belonging to a woman was strewn around the room. I didn’t know what to make of it, so I backed away from the door and left out of the house the same way I entered. I had no choice but to wait for him to come to me. I don’t know if five days was enough for him to move on to something else, but I could say for sure a woman had been in the house. Tucking my tail, I pulled out of the driveway and headed back across town to my house.

On my way home from Law’s, I decided to stop by the grocery store and grab a few things. I was craving some of Gema’s egg rolls and had run out of the things I needed to make them. Standing at the island, I laid out the ingredients and worked to roll the perfect egg roll. I remember Gema said me using egg wash was the reason they bubbled up on the outside,so I decided to follow her recipe and use the flour and water to seal them up.

The chiming of my doorbell made me groan. I wasn’t expecting company and whoever was on the other side of the door better hope by the time I made it to the front I was pleasant, or they would be getting cursed the fuck out. Wiping my hands on my towel I tossed it over my shoulder and ambled toward the door.

“The hell?” I mumbled when I looked through the peephole. Snatching the door opened, I leaned against the frame. “Can I help you?”

“Talitha, correct?” Law’s stiffed face friend asked.

“How’d you get my address?”

“Oh honey, I can find out just about anything,” she tittered.

“Okay. Why are you here? If you’re looking for Law, he’s not here. In fact, I don’t know where he is.”

“Actually, I’m here to speak with you. Can I come in, darling?

“I guess.” I furrowed my brows and stepped to the side. “Would you like a glass of water or something?”

“No.” She shook her head. “What I have to say won’t take long.”

“Um,” I hummed and leaned against the back of the couch.

“You’re expecting,” she whispered and cast her eyes on my stomach.

“I am. What’s the point of this visit, Adele?”

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