“Fair. This is my mistake, partially, and I own up to it.” Florence put her hand over her heart. “I promise that I’ll do better next time.”
“Fine.” Angelica started toward the door, but Florence stopped her.
“Ange?”
Angelica turned around.
“It’d be easier if you would also communicate with the rest of us.” Florence rubbed her hands together before crossing her arms. “Because I see you struggling with this all on your own, and you don’t have to. Like you said, we’re here to do this as a team and a crew, and that means everyone.”
“Fair,” Angelica echoed Florence’s response from before.
“And to add to that, Ange, I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, but you’ve been off your game. I don’t mean that as a criticism, but as an observation. If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. Please don’t hesitate to talk to me.” Florence looked at her imploringly.
Angelica gave her a hard stare back, not saying anything. Finally, she nodded. “Is that all?”
“Yes, I guess it is.”
“Can I have the room for five minutes?” Angelica bit her lip.
“Absolutely.” Florence stepped outside and shut the door behind her.
Angelica let out a huge breath and halfway collapsed against a chair, holding herself up on the back of it as she half bent over and tried to collect herself. She’d thought after last night that everything would get easier, that she could focus on the work again and get back into the groove. But that was proving to be untrue.
Everyone was going to see that interview. And Josef would no doubt use it to his advantage. Why would anyone think that sending Hope into that kind of situation was going to work out? Jesus. She’d been thrown to the wolves with no protection. And Angelica hadn’t even managed to be there for her.
Her phone buzzed.
Angelica sighed heavily as she picked it up, seeing the messages from Lyric, Logan, Florence, the rest of her family, and the last one, from Christian. She opened it up and read it quickly.
Christian
I’m so lost, Ange. I don’t know what to do.
She had to play the role of big sister in the family that didn’t want her. Not much had changed in the intervening years, had it? Tapping Christian’s name, she called him.
“Thank God you called,” Christian said as soon as his voice echoed through the speaker.
“I’m not here to tell you what to do.” Angelica slid into the chair, giving her feet as much of a break as she could, at least for the next few minutes. “I can’t tell you what to do.”
“But—”
“No, Christian. I need you to listen to me. I cut Mom off years ago. And I know you only know part of why, but you have to trustme that I did it for good reason.” It was time to lay down the law with him—again. “I need you to respect that. But also, I haven’t been around, Christian. I don’t know what Mom would want or what she wouldn’t want.”
“I’m not asking you to come out here.” She could hear the pout even if he didn’t intend it that way.
“Good, because I won’t.” Angelica brushed her thumb against her bottom lip. “The family has been blowing up my phone this week. I’m not sure if you’ve talked to them?—”
“God damn it!” Christian cursed. “I told them all that I would be the one to talk to you, not them. I can’t believe they didn’t respect that.”
That did at least make her feel slightly better about the situation as a whole. He wasn’t pushing them to contact her or get her involved.
“I can’t believe them,” Christian mumbled.
“It helps to know that.” Angelica rubbed circles into her temple. “But I’m telling you the truth about everything else. I can’t help you. I don’t know what kind of decisions she’d want made. I’m so far removed from that part of her life?—”
“I know. I think…” Christian sighed heavily. “I just need my big sis right now, Ange. I need you for me, not for her.”
Angelica stilled, closing her eyes slowly. “Okay. I can do that. Or I’ll try to.”
