Page 8 of Hard Candy Christmas

“I know. But they don’t always need to tell me.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that. I raised you better than that. I also raised you not to be rude. Heaven help me, though, I could never curb that temper.”

“I take after dad.”

“Don’t I know it, Chase. Now, I wasn’t done talking.”

“I know, Mom, I know. However, I can’t keep on this topic.”

“Listen to me. Because I know you, I know how you were ten years ago when she left. You didn’t let me talk then, but you will let me talk now.”

There was something in her tone that had me sitting up right and paying attention. It was mom’s Sunday tone, the tone that broke no argument and we were going to listen to her or suffer the wrath. I loved my mom, but my temper didn’t come from my dad, it came from the woman sitting before me.

“Don’t let me stop you.”

She glared at me, and I had to fight not to smile. Martha Montgomery was a small woman, but Lord, she was feisty.

“Ten years ago, when Belinda left, you weren’t ready to talk to me. The pain was too raw, and I believe it stayed that way for years. And if we’re being quite honest, I think the pain is still very much there.

“I also believe that’s something you either deal with, or you talk to her about. Let it all out and move on. But you won’t get any closure for yourself if you don’t deal with it. But what I wanted to tell you then, and I pray you’re hearing me now, is that I don’t think Belinda wanted to leave.”

That gave me pause.

“I think she needed to leave for reasons unknown. But I will say I believe it has something to do with Betty.”

“Her grandma? What could possibly be going on with that woman that we didn’t know about?”

“She’s close to us, Chase, but she’s an employee and one doesn’t always know everything. She’s also a sweet woman, buta strong minded one. Nothing was going to be found out or discussed if she didn’t want it to. But after knowing her for so long, seeing her day in and day out, I’m going to say Belinda left to help her.

“Whatever it was, or whatever happened, we may not know. But I don’t think it’s fair that you keep on blaming B for something that might not have been her own doing.” With that, my mom got up and left, leaving me alone in the office.

It never dawned on me that B might have left for any reason other than wanting to. Had I really been blaming her all this time and never knowing the truth?

That I could have followed her?

Could I have helped her?

Could I have had her by my side these last ten years?

Chapter Five

Belinda

“I’m running into town, Mom.”

“Whatcha getting, pumpkin?”

“I wanted to make dinner tonight, and there’s a couple things I need. Plus, I wanted to pick up some other decorations that were a little old up at the ranch.”

“Oh, they’d love that. See you in a bit.”

I grabbed my purse and headed out of the house. I took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air, and smiled.

Sure, Tahoe was cold, and I had plenty of winter weather there, but it was so different from here. The mountains were familiar, soothing, calming, unlike back there. There was a hint of dirt in the air, maybe from all the casinos in Nevada. Not that I could ever explain that to anyone.

Tahoe wasn’t home and it never would be. It was an escape. And to some degree, a safe haven. But I was glad when my ‘work release’ was up. Or that’s how I looked at it.

I know both mom and grandma were grateful that I was able to help out. I also have no doubt that I could have stayed home andfound a solution. It might have been better than the hell the last ten years of my life were, but I did learn from it.

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