“What are you doing!” The busy café suddenly became a prison as the crazy woman from not too long ago sat in the chair across from Alicia. “I told you to get away from those people!”
Alicia, who was frozen to her seat and struggling to even breathe, dropped her spoon in her half-eaten clam chowder. “Y… you!” Where had she come from? Had she been following Alicia? Holy shit! All the way out here in Chicago? “I know who you are.” That’s what Alicia hissed as she lowered both her head and voice. “You’re Julia Moreau, aren’t you?”
“Hmph.” The woman pulled at her crinkly red hair instead of spitting in Alicia’s food. “I’ve been legally advised to no longer use that name. I was born a Johnson, and I’m to die that way, if my ex-shitfuck for brains has anything to do with it.”
“You mean Russell?”
“Russell! He can choke on a rope like he tried to make me choke on smoke!”
“Whoa!” Dee appeared, already heading for Julia. “What the hell happened while I was gone? Who is this?”
As Alicia figured, Dee was too new to the roster to instantly recognize the Moreaus’ #1“do not let pass Go and collect $200”candidate. “It’s all right, Dee. I know her.”
“Don’t know about this…”
“It’s fine,” Alicia reiterated. To Julia, she said, “I’m afraid it’s not that easy. Matters are keeping me with your daughter.”
This was not the way she would meet her future mother-in-law in normal life. Julia was not only crazy, but she was adamantly opposed to Alicia dating Danica… and not because she thought Alicia wasn’t good enough.She’s trying to protect me, I think?
“Oh, no…” Julia’s crestfallen countenance struck fear in Alicia. “You’re pregnant.”
That wasn’t the awe of a future grandmother. “No,” Alicia said, fighting to retain her posture. “I’m pretty sure I’m not. Anyway… how would I be?” Was there something about Danica she should know now?There’s no way… is there? Huh?Alicia would have figured that one out by now!And probably not give one fuck…
Relief spread across Julia’s face. “I know about my daughter’s ambitions. She has eggs frozen in the same place Russell made me… anyway, you wouldn’t be the first one she’s asked to be a surrogate to get back at her father.” Before Alicia could ask for clarification about being asurrogate,Julia continued, “Please, don’t take me the wrong way. I’m sure you’re a lovely youngwoman I would love to have in my family, but that’s why I really, truly must implore you to get out while you still can.”
“As I said, it’s not simple.” Alicia braced her knuckles against the table. “We’re in love.”
Dee glanced between the two women. Julia looked as if she had been given a death blow.
“I suppose I should be happy for the two of you,” she whispered. “Ever since she was born, I imagined her growing up to be a beautiful young woman with true love. Please don’t take this personally. I don’t want any woman to go through what I had to endure.”
“What happened?” Did Alicia want to know?
“No.” Julia shook her head. “Not here.” She looked around the busy café as if someone would slam her out of her chair.What is this woman so afraid of?No one even stared at the burn scar on her face. “It’s not safe to talk here.” She looked at Dee.
“Hey, I ain’t gonna say anything.” The bodyguard held up her hands. “My job is to make sure Ms. Colbert stays safe. Not spread gossip.”
“Who assigned you? My daughter or my ex-husband?”
“Ms. Moreau picked me out and assigned me.”
“Good.” Julia sighed. “Also not good. That means she suspects that this young woman may be in danger.”
“Danger? I thought having a bodyguard was a formality.”
“Perhaps my daughter doesn’t know what she is protecting you from. Russell had us watched by his spies until our divorce. I… no. No, not here. Do you have time tonight?”
“Tonight?”
Julia scribbled something on a piece of notepaper and slid it toward Alicia. “Meet me here tonight at seven. I’ll tell you everything.” She glanced around the café again and stood up, bag clutched tightly in her hand. “You can bring her if you trusther. I must get going before someone sees me. I don’t want to make things even worse for you.”
The woman disappeared as quickly as she appeared.Is this how she lives her life? Always looking over her shoulder?Alicia shuddered. So consumed she was by this shared paranoia that she almost didn’t notice Dee sitting in the chair Julia once occupied.
“I dunno about this,” the bodyguard said for the second time since coming back from the bathroom. “Something’s off about that lady.”
“That lady is your boss’s mother.”
“So I gathered.” Dee didn’t seem fazed by that info. “I’m not gonna pretend I know what’s goin’ on in your personal life or in that family, ma’am, but I do know that she gives me a bad feeling. Pretty sure my boss would not be happy with you meeting that woman.”
