“Yes, he was sore for a few days, but it was mainly superficial. I think he realized we didn’t know anything. We haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
“Nothing at all? He hasn’t been around Boulder City?”
“Nothing at all. No one has seen him.”
“What about his offices?” I ask desperately.
“I’m not sure, darling, I was just pleased we had seen the last of him. You want me to find out, I can do some digging?”
“No, no, it’s fine. I don’t want any waves made…” I trail off as I think about what to do next. “Mom, I know this is going to be hard, but can you forget we’ve spoken today? Just don’t say anything to anyone, not even Brent.”
“But he’d be so happy that you’ve been in touch…are you coming back? I really don’t think there’ll be a problem anymore, honey…”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I think he will probably have just moved on but until I know how the land lies, I want to be safe. I want you to be safe. You know how it was.” I say this, but she didn’t know the full extent. I kept so much from her. “I want to come back, I really do, but we’ll see. Please, just give me a few days.”
“Okay, if you know what you’re doing.”
“Not yet I don’t, but I will.”
“That’s my girl.”
I smile. She always said that to me as a child and she’s right. I am her girl, even at twenty-six years old.
“I love you, Mom. I’ll call soon, okay?”
“I love you too. Stay safe.”
When the phone disconnects, I sit there for a whole minute and look at the screen. Just a short conversation with my mom and everything seems so much clearer. I have to work out a way to go back, a way to be near to her. She is my only family, and she feels like my calm in the storm. I’ve wasted enough time running away, and I’m not the person I used to be. I’m stronger for everything I’ve been through, and with family in my corner I’m sure I can get through anything life throws at me.
Where to go from here? I’ve been driving in the direction of Boulder City knowing I can’t go there just yet, but I need to be close. I take a deep breath and dial the only other number I know off by heart, hoping it hasn’t changed since I last called it. When she picks up, I smile.
“Hello?”
“Got time for a dirty martini, party girl?” I open our conversation with the greeting we always used to use. Her usual reply doesn’t come though.
Radio silence.
“Lottie?”
“Almost two years…it’s been two fucking years since you called me…”
“I know,” I whisper. “I’m sorry…stuff happened.”
“Don’t give me that shit. Your control freak motherfucker of a boyfriend happened.”
“Lottie—”
“No, don’t you 'Lottie' me. He didn’t like me, so you chose him.” My heart breaks a little that she thinks I would do that.
“It wasn’t like that.”
“No? So how was it? He got bored and now you want your friend back?”
“Lottie! Stop being a bitch, you know it was never like that,” I say before dropping my voice to a whisper “He—”
“He what? What did that motherfucker do?” Her tone changes to protective. She’s the stereotypical redhead—sharp, hot headed and fierce!
“I need some help, Lottie, and you’re the only one I trust to help me.”
