“That’s okay. I’ll go and find him myself.”
“Nobody is allowed back in the workshop without one of the guys around.”
She laughed and flicked her long silky hair back. “Since there is still someone there, I should be just fine.”
I guess one of the guys used the workshop as his hook-up spot. Didn’t matter anyway. At least that was what I told myself when the image of Mason and her together popped in my head, causing a whole lot of not so nice feelings. We were nothing to each other and I had to stop my confusing thoughts or risk following her into the workshop just to see who she was meeting. And I wasn’t going to do that. No way. “Right. Well, then, good luck,” I said.
Leaving her to it, I rushed to my car and sped back to the apartment. Nora was already dressed and waiting for me.
“I’m so sorry, Nora, I hope I didn’t make you too late.”
She waved me off and kissed my cheek. “You’re fine. Don’t worry. I shouldn’t be too late tonight. We only have two shows scheduled. But you know how Tito gets if there’s a lot of people.”
“And you know not to worry, since I will most likely crash here anyway. Doesn’t make a difference to me if I sleep on your couch or Willa’s.”
She kissed Luca and Lena good-bye before she hugged me, forcing the air to escape my lungs. “I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I hugged her back just as tightly. “I love you and the little sticky monsters. You’re my family.”
We separated and she rushed out the door. After readingThe Very Hungry Caterpillarfor what felt like one hundred times, but was probably more like twenty, I put the kids to bed. I fell asleep on the couch and woke with a start when my phone rang.
“Yeah?”
“Is that how you answer your phone?”
I stilled when I heard her voice. She hadn’t called me in two months. Two months that kept me in a land called blissful ignorance and wonderful denial.
“I was asleep.”
“Of course you were. I thought I raised you to be a hard worker, but it appears you take after your father. It’s a shame, really, after all the hard work I put into you.”
Hot anger cursed down my spine at her insinuating my father had been lazy. How dare she insult his memory. My papá had been happy and hardworking when he was still alive. He came from a poor Columbian farming family but fell head over heels in love with my mother when she visited the area he lived in. He followed her to the States but they weren’t officially together. I never found out what happened between them and since my mother refused to talk about him I never would. But every memory I had of him was one of laughter and affection.
“What do you want?” I snapped and clutched a hand to my mouth, knowing what was going to come next. She would not let me get away with speaking to her like that.
“Watch your mouth, little girl. You might not live under my roof anymore, but I still own you.”
Don’t answer. Don’t answer. Don’t answer.
“I never want to see you again. I think I made that clear last time.”
Why in the world did you answer, you idiot?
Her cold laugh sounded down the line, mocking me. “Keep telling yourself that. We both know that’s not true. You need me more than I need you. Don’t forget, I know you better than anyone else. You’ll come crawling back, like always. You’re not made for hard work, and you’ll be begging me for money soon enough.”
There was no point in answering, so I hung up.
Instead of going back to sleep, I sat in the dark, brooding and wishing for things that could never be. Nora came back as I was pacing in front of the muted television.
She turned the lights on and yelped when she saw me. “What’s going on? Did something happen?” she asked.
I released my clenched teeth and answered. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Talk to me,” she said and guided me back to the couch. We sat down and I turned toward her.
“It’s nothing. I’m just being dramatic.”
She put an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into her side. “I hope you know there is nothing you can’t tell me, and I will always have your back. Always. No matter what.”
