Blake performed a cartwheel over FaceTime as I watched and tried not to smile like a silly kid, but I did anyway. I’d never imagined myself a kid person, yet here I was, acting like a goof.
These calls with my niece had become my favorite part of the week.
She did another cartwheel and then popped into a handstand. It was truly incredible how resilient she was among such family strife.
“Looks like we may have a gymnast in the family,” I told Blake, and she grinned from ear to ear in front of the camera.
Despite bad blood between Magnum and myself, I was one hundred percent smitten with this tiny creature. She was the sun and moon…in a very dark time…at least for me.
“Prim taught me,” Blake said excitedly. “Do you know Prim? She’s so cool!”
Sadly, I couldn’t mirror her enthusiasm when it came to Prim. Because if Prim was visiting Blake, I assumed she was going with Tulya.
“Of course I know Prim,” I finally answered. If she was picking up on my sour mood, Blake wasn’t letting on.
“Did you know sometimes Tuvy picks me up from school? And Prim comes! Did I tell you that Tuvy is back? I forgot.”
She continued to rattle on, and my heart did this strange pinging thing when Blake mentioned Tulya being home. I tried to demand my body not react that way, but when it came to Tulya, I was learning I had no control.
Coming back to Blake’s barrage of questions, I nodded while picking up my whiskey. It was close to three in the morning in Hawaii, but early in the morning at home in Rubia. Blake had made a habit of calling me when no one else was awake. Now I worried Tulya would pop over to pick her up. It was slightly overdramatic, but still…
I knew Tulya was back home. Magnum had told me she returned and was mostly better, but not one hundred percent. Of course, he added the fact of her being on his side. Apparently she was sniffing around for a way to bring Valerie back. If I knew Tulya, she would succeed, even if it meant breaking ties with her mother and uncle.
My brother thought he was getting one over on me by aligning himself with the mission, but I agreed that Valerie belonged with her daughter.
Blake’s voice fell into a whisper when she said, “Uncle Don…”
“Yes, sweetie.” I responded quietly too.
“Tuvy’s going to help me see my mom again, but she said not to tell anyone. You won’t tell, will you?”
I nodded again, emotion clogging my throat as eyes the same color as mine stared at me from the screen. “I know you would like that. You know what? Cinder is not going to replace your mom. You understand that, right, B?”
It was a sentiment I’d reiterated over the last few months. In my mind, if I shared this enough, maybe, just maybe, Blake would embrace some sort of relationship with Cinder.
Gah—if I wasn’t on FaceTime, I’d slap myself. I still couldn’t believe how dirty my mother did Tulya and me, and here I was, trying to make her happy by promoting Cinder.
It was Blake’s turn to nod, and then she asked, “When are you coming back? I miss you.”
“Soon,” I lied.
“I hope so.”
“Miss you.” I was repeating her earlier sentiment when the door to the common area opened and I heard, “Who do you miss?”
I quickly blew my niece a kiss and hit end. I wasn’t certain how much Blake knew, but I didn’t need her telling Prim or Tulya that Emelee was in my hotel living room in Hawaii.
Fuck, I’m still in a hotel…which is a separate issue.
The woman behind the question was not to be stopped—she slithered onto the couch across from me, wearing a black silk nightgown, acting coyly. I was unimpressed.
“Who do you miss?” She unnecessarily repeated herself. “I’m right here, so I don’t know who you could possibly be talking about.”
I swallowed down the remainder of my whiskey, allowing it to burn my throat, wishing for something stronger—whatever that might be.
“Not that I have to answer to you, Emelee, but it was my niece. I have work in the morning, so good night.” I stood and walked across the room to the second bedroom.
“If you’re not going to come home, I’m going to stay,” she countered from her seat on the sofa.
