6
Chapter Six
“Ihad an interesting conversation today,” my mom says as she walks into my kitchen.
“Well, hello to you, too, Mom,” I reply as I rise to kiss her cheek. “Yes, I have had a good day at work – thanks for asking!”
Mom laughs as she wraps her arms around my neck to hug me. She kisses my cheek and says, “Hello, my son. I’m so glad you had a good day at work. But my news is more important.”
“What sort of interesting conversation did you have? While you were out shopping…spending my money…on decorations for my house…that isn’t even built yet,” I tease her.
She narrows her eyes, playfully threatening me and trying to look as intimidating as possible. “Fine. I will never tell and you will spend the rest of your life speculating about what I had to say.”
I grab my chest in mock pain, “You wound me! I will never know the exact names of the many shades of blue, brown, and pink that you discovered today.”
“Have I told you lately that you are a smartass?” she asks while cocking one brow up at me.
Furrowing my brow, grasping my chin between my index finger and thumb, and staring intently at the floor, I respond, “You know, I don’t recall hearing that today. Fairly certain you probably told me yesterday, though.”
Mom playfully swats at me and I take the bags of decorations she bought and store them in my study. Walking back in the kitchen, I laughingly tell her, “You’ve been here all of two days and you’re already filling up my study with all kinds of stuff! You need to slow down, woman! I don’t have enough room here to keep everything you’re planning to put in the new house!”
She eyes me speculatively for a moment before saying, “You’re right. I think I should hold off on buying anything else for a while.”
“Wait–what?” Am I hearing things? My mother just agreed to stop shopping? With my money?
“What? I said you’re right. What’s wrong with that?”
Now I’m extra suspicious. “Maybe you should tell me about this conversation you had today.”
The smile that covers my mom’s face is one of pure wickedness. It says she knows something I don’t have a clue about. It’s the smile a woman uses on a man when she knows he’s been caught red-handed and has no way out. It’s the scariest fucking smile I’ve ever seen and my mom is giving me that smile now.
“Maybe it’s best that I don’t say anything yet, Dominic.”
“Oh no, you brought it up. Spill it,” I say as I step toward her and that damn grin of hers.
“I will tell you this, Dominic. I ran into Sophia today and it’s time for you to talk to her.”
I’m literally stunned speechless. This is the last thing I ever expected my mom to say to me.
“I told you what all happened. You were ready to let her have a piece of your mind a few weeks ago. Now you’ve changed your mind?” I ask disbelievingly.
She gives me a single shoulder shrug and holds my gaze with hers, “You. Need. To. Talk.”
“Why does it feel like everyone around me knows something I don’t?” I place my hands on my hips, draw in a deep breath that pushes my chest out, and straighten up to my full height. “I’ve been more than patient and way too calm. My anger has been simmering below the surface for weeks and I’m ready to unleash it. I’ve gone against my true nature long enough.”
“Channel it where it belongs, Dominic. Harrison deserves your wrath, so does Sophia’s family, but I believe Sophia deserves to be heard,” she wisely counters.
Sophia’s family deserves my wrath?A memory stirs and I grapple with it in my mind until it becomes clear. “Her mother kept calling her right before the fire,” I say. “You think they had something to do with it?”
“I think there’s strong reason to think they are somehow involved,” she responds. “Are you thinking of going to talk to them?”
I am thinking of doing that very thingnow.
“Are you going to tell me about your little talk with Sophia?” I answer her question with one of my own.
“No, son. This is between the two of you. Sooner or later, you and Sophia have to sit down and have a long talk. Sooner would be better for you both.”
Sunday eveningafter my mom leaves from her extended weekend visit, I decide it’s about time for me to make a surprise visit to talk to Sophia’s family in Austin. Shadow has, no doubt, already investigated them, but my mind won’t let this rest until I hear it for myself. After a long and heated discussion, I told Shadow he can accompany me or he can watch my ass drive off into the sunset. Either way, he knows I am going so he reluctantly agreed to take a short trip as soon as we can.
