Page 57 of A Lifetime in 30 Days
“It’s a horrible misunderstanding,” she began, then gave him a very condensed version of Caleb’s death and everything concerning the charges against her.
He surprised her for the second time today by letting loose a low whistle and using a finger to stroke one of those weird-looking brows of his. “That’s a lot,” he said.
“It sure is,” she agreed. “But listen, it will not affect my work. I come in here and it’s actually a relief to put my mind on other things.”
“Do you have an attorney?” HC Sr. asked. “You know I can make some calls.”
“I do,” she said. “But thanks. I’m sure this will all be going away soon.” She prayed it would. Prayed with every ounce of faith she possessed.
“Well, if I can be of any assistance, you just let me know,” he said. “I’m not going to say anything to Junior about this. Doesn’t matter right now, since we know you’ll prevail.” He cleared his throat. “But I have to put you on notice that if this doesn’t go away soon, if there has to be a trial and any type of media coverage, I’ll have to rethink things.”
What he actually meant to say was that he’d have to fire her. With all the dignity she could muster, when she really felt like giving in to the despair that had begun to spread throughout her chest like a bad rash, she squared her shoulders and held his gaze. “I understand,” she lied. “And I’ll get back to work now.”
Pride wouldn’t let her jump up and run the hell out of that office, so her steps remained measured, her motions average speed as she acquiesced to his final request and closed his door behind her. She also ignored Neshawn’s questioning gaze as she made her way back to her office. And she stayed there until the end of the day, doing the firm’s work to keep her mind occupied and resisting the urge to text or call Granny or any of her friends. They couldn’t help her right now, couldn’t make this worry and irritation go away. She had to manage that herself, as she did so many other times in the past.
What was that saying,When it rains ...? Well, big fat raindrops were coming down at a vicious pace as she pulled into her driveway at a little after six that evening. Granny’s car wasn’t there, and she pushed back the questions of where she might be in this storm when she recalled Granny’s text at five, saying she was going to the market to get some spices for the chicken-and-rice soup she planned to make for them tonight.
Grabbing her stuff from the passenger seat, she leaned down to the floor and scooped up the umbrella. Then she got out and made a dash for the front porch. There, she skidded to a halt, eyes wide, mouth falling open at the person she saw standing there.
She wasn’t actually standing but leaning against one of the thick wooden makeshift columns that Jack and his crew had installed to keep the roof of the porch upright while they worked on the wall. Her clothes—jean capris and a dark-green T-shirt that hung off her body like a rag—and black leather flip-flops were soaked. Her hair—or what was left of it, was cut close like a man’s—what used to be her caramel-hued face was now darker and drawn, another sign that she wasn’t eating well.
“Mama,” Vanna whispered, the word a rasp in the back of her throat.
“Hey, Vannie,” Diane said, lifting her bony arm to give a slow wave.
Only two people called her Vannie: her grandmother and her mother.
“I told Mama I was coming by today, but she wasn’t here when I got here.” Diane wrapped her arms tightly around herself. She was obviously chilly, yet Vanna made no attempt to let her inside her house.
“She didn’t tell me you would be stopping by,” Vanna said.
“I was supposed to come earlier. While you were at work.”
Oh. So she wasn’t supposed to know that her mother was coming to her house. Because why would the woman who’d given birth to her come to her house just to visit, say hello, check on her only child? She bit back those words.
“She texted me a little while ago and said she needed to go to the market.” Granny had probably waited all day for Diane. Vanna had wondered why she was going to the market to get started on dinner so late in the day. It wasn’t like she’d told Granny she had to cook every night or clean the house, for that matter. Her grandmother could stay with her for as long as she liked without doing anything except taking care of her spoiled dog, as far as Vanna was concerned. But Granny would always do whatever she could to help take care of Vanna. Unlike Diane.
“Okay, well, I’ll just wait right here until she gets back,” Diane said.
“It’s raining and you’re cold,” Vanna replied. With a huff she went to her door and unlocked it. “Come inside and wait.”
Try as she might, she could never be as cold and distant with Diane as the woman had always been with her.
“No. I’ll stay out here,” Diane insisted. “I don’t want to drip water all on your floors. I know it’s probably nice in there.”
That’s right, her mother had never been to her house before. Not in all the years Vanna had lived here. She hadn’t been at Vanna’s college graduation, her wedding, the reception in Granny’s backyard after, or at the hospital when Vanna had her gall bladder removed seven years ago.
“It doesn’t make sense for you to stand out here in the rain any longer than you need to,” Vanna told her, and pushed the door open. “Just come inside. You can stand right here by the door and wait for Granny if that’s what you want to do.”
She didn’t wait for Diane to decide, was going to go in the house and put her stuff down regardless. Her patience with this woman was thinner than thread, but she had been raised to be respectful.
Vanna had just dropped her closed umbrella onto a rug near the coat closet that Granny had probably put out because of the rain. There was always one just inside the doorway for feet to be wiped on, so she did that and continued moving toward the steps.
“It is nice in here,” Diane said from behind her.
She’d come inside and now stood right on that rug by the door, as if she didn’t dare move.
“Oh, let me close the door.” Diane turned and placed her thin fingers on the knob, pushing the door closed behind her. “Yeah,” she said as she turned back to Vanna and looked around the foyer space where she stood. “It’s real nice.” She leaned over slightly and peeped down the stairs toward the basement, then brought her gaze back to Vanna.
