Page 62 of Dirty Money
“What the hell does that even mean?” Britt asked.
“I’m the daughter of a rich man. He showed up and wanted to make amends. He gave me what his lawyer said I was due. He bought me a home and a car and gave me a bank account that’s much too big to justify me working and taking money away from those who need it.”
“You’re rich now?” Britt asked. “I mean, what the hell, girl? You wouldn’t take what Weston offered you but you’ll take what a father who’s all but forgotten you has given you? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t really understand, either. I’m numb and more than a bit fucked up by what Weston did,” Aullie said, igniting Britt’s curiosity.
“What did Weston do?”
“It’s a long story with a crappy ending. No one wants to hear it.” She drank the rest of her wine then poured more into the glass from the bottle she’d brought to bed with her. “I could use a real bar in this place. Dad only stocked it with wines.”
“I could come over and bring you something,” Brittany offered. “We could talk. You sound like you need a friend right now.”
Aullie looked at the ceiling. The ornate ceiling that topped ornate walls, decorated with things that cost tons of money. She was lying under expensive sheets and blankets. Her head rested on expensive pillows. Much the same as she had experienced at Weston’s mansion.
She closed her eyes. “Not tonight. I’m too weepy. Terrible company. I wouldn’t force myself on anyone I care about right now. I’m more than a mess.”
“At least tell me you think you’ll live through this,” Britt said with a light laugh.
“The way my heart hurts, it’s iffy,” she said and really meant it.
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse,” she replied. “Has anyone ever literally died from a broken heart?”
“No,” Britt told her. “Well, I don’t think so. There was that one couple. But they were really old and had spent something like ninety years together. But no one could prove the last one went only thirty minutes later, from a broken heart.”
“So, it could happen is what you’re saying.” Aullie took another long drink of the wine. “Great!”
“No, Aullie. You should really let me come over. You sound half drunk and half insane.”
An odd laugh burst from her mouth. “Insane? Yes, that’s exactly what I feel like. A real nut! I’ll talk to you tomorrow after I go to meet my new mommy and talk about decorating my new baby sister’s nursery.”
“A new mom and baby sis, huh? Oh my! You’ve got a lot to let sink in.”
“Yes, I do. This would’ve been hard with Weston in my corner. With him out of my life, this is nearly unbearable.” She finished the glass of wine and snuggled down in the bed. “Bye, I’m going to cry myself to sleep now, hopefully.”
“How sad,” Brittany said. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Britt. You’re a good friend.” Aullie hung up and stared at the ceiling until sleep found her, some three hours or so later.
When the sound of people talking, out in the hallway, woke her up, she opened her eyes to find the sun was shining through one of the windows that was curtained by a sheer olive colored panel. Her eyes hurt and so did her body.
She groaned as she got out of bed. Her silk nightgown was twisted all around her body and she pulled at it to get it straight.
Hushed voices were heard in the hallway. “Find the cat.”
She shook her head and went to the door to see what they were talking about. “If her cat is gone, she’ll be so upset,” came a woman’s voice.
Throwing the bedroom door open, Aullie asked, “Is my cat missing?”
One man, dressed in a black suit, the butler she guessed, gave her a blank face. One woman in a black maid’s outfit gave her the same face. It was the older woman, wearing a light blue set of what looked to her like something a chef would wear, opened her mouth, “Missing?”
“I heard you saying a cat was missing. Are you talking about my cat?” Aullie asked the woman.
“Well, yes and no. I’m sure it’s just hiding in the house,” the lady told her.
“But the door to the hall was open,” the butler said. “He’d have to get on the elevator and go down to the ground floor and get out of the lobby to really be lost.”
