Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“I think that’s up to Kelly, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely. But I wanted to let you know, so you could bring it up to her.”
“If she wants to see Kelly, why doesn’t she just call her?”
“Apparently Kelly hasn’t given her any of her information. Not her new address, her new cell phone number, nothing. She hasn’t even seen her mother.”
I stay silent a moment.
Kelly mentioned that her whole life has been difficult, and I’d bet her mother had a lot to do with that. In which case I can’t blame her for not wanting to see the woman.
“Okay. I’ll talk to her. I’ll call Reid as soon as I have her response.”
I end the call, and I walk into the kitchen where Kelly is finishing up the bacon, laying the strips on a paper towel.
“Kelly,” I say.
She doesn’t reply.
“You’re going to have to talk to me at some point.”
No reply.
“Okay. Last night was amazing. I enjoyed it immensely, and I’m pretty sure you did too. But we’re going to have to table that for the moment because we have something else to deal with.”
She still doesn’t look my way.
“Your mother got in touch with Reid. She wants to see you.”
Kelly drops the egg she was holding onto the floor, and it cracks open, its yellow yolk spilling out. I grab some paper towels and lean down to clean it up.
Once it’s cleaned up and in the trash, I find Kelly in the living room seated on the couch and staring into space.
“You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to,” I say. “I’m just relaying the message. She got in touch with Reid.”
“I don’t want to see her,” Kelly says.
“That’s fine, baby. You don’t have to.”
She widens her eyes at my use of baby.
“If I had wanted to see my mother, I would’ve contacted her.”
“I understand. No one is going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
“Damn right. I am so sick of doing things I don’t want to do.”
“I understand.”
I understand more than she knows.
“Do you want to talk about anything?” I ask.
She shakes her head.
“Okay. I’m here for you, Kelly. You can talk to me. You want me to call Macy for you?”
“I think I’m capable of calling my therapist myself if I need to.”
“Yes, I was just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help.”
God.
“I’m going to go fix the eggs. You sit here. I’ll bring you a plate of breakfast when it’s done.”
She stays there, still silent.
I amble back into the kitchen, mix up a batch of scrambled eggs, and fry them in the bacon fat. Not real heart healthy, but they’re delicious that way. I throw some slices of bread in her toaster, and once they pop out I add butter. I look inside the refrigerator for jelly, but she doesn’t have any. Good enough. I prefer plain butter on my toast anyway.
I fill two plates with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast, and I take them back out to Kelly, where she’s still seated on the couch. I hand her a plate of breakfast, and I’m a little surprised when she takes it.
“What do you want me to tell Reid? That you just don’t want to see your mom?”
She nods and bites the top off a strip of bacon.
We eat breakfast in silence. Once we’re done, I carry our plates into the kitchen, rinse them, and put them in her dishwasher.
“I have to go now,” I tell her. “Would you like me to come by anytime later today?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Okay. I’m here if you need anything. What time do you have to report to work tonight?”
“Is that any of your business?”
“Only if you want it to be.” I sigh, shaking my head.
Then I leave.
28
KELLY
“I got a job,” I tell Macy during therapy later that morning.
“That’s great, Kelly. What will you be doing?”
“Waiting tables at The Glass House.”
Macy widens her eyes. “The Glass House? Really? That’s one of the best restaurants in all of Manhattan.”
“So I hear.”
“That’s amazing. You’ll do well there.”
“I’m a good server, for sure. But I got the job because… Well, you know.”
“Because of the Wolfes?”
“Because I’m one of the island’s victims. I mean, the manager asked me where I’d been working for the last five years, and what else could I say? Anything else—a lie—would have made me look bad.”
“I agree. It’s best to be honest. Especially with a potential employer. And if she gave you the job because of that? Then show her that you earned the job on your own.”
“That’s what Leif says.”
“Leif?”
“Oh, yeah. I haven’t seen you in a few days. Reid decided I need my own security detail because of the texts.”
“I have to admit, Kelly, I agree with him.”
“It’s only Brindley,” I say.
“We’ve talked about this before. Brindley denies sending you texts.”
I scoff. “Why does no one believe me? She’s had it out for me ever since she came to the island.”