A small smile formed on his beautiful mouth before he kissed her softly and sent her on her way.
Orianna made her way through the dark house, flipping on lights as she went. Magnar was installing a tiny camera in the hallway, high up on the wall and giving an optimal view of anyone coming toward her mother’s bedroom. A bunch of eyes on her gave her the willies, but Orianna figured it was wasted breath to argue with them. Three angels trapped in a basement would want to have a look-see. That she understood.
There’s one in the kitchen, dining, and living room. Another at the front door.
Orianna nodded at Magnar, assuring him she’d gotten the information.
When he disappeared, she took a deep breath. Now to see what she was dealing with.
She found Elizabeth in her bedroom, sitting in her power wheelchair. Her limp brown hair had recently been trimmed, falling just below her ears, and there wasn’t a hint of makeup on her face. She looked old, Orianna thought. Older than she remembered.
But she looked good considering where she spent most of her time. Rarely did Elizabeth allow anyone to help her into her bed or onto the sofa for fear no one would be there to help her out. Even when Orianna had been living here, back before she went on her search for Amber, Elizabeth had refused to get trapped in her bed. The only person she allowed to help her in and out of the chair was the physical therapist who came two days a week.
“Mom?”
Elizabeth’s head turned slowly, a smile forming, her light brown eyes glittering with recognition. “Orianna. You came.”
She stepped into the room, peered around. Bed was made, surfaces dusted, the oriental rug vacuumed. “I promised you I would.”
The soft whirring sound of the chair’s motor sounded as Elizabeth backed away from the television. “Has it been nine hours already?”
“It has.” Or mostly, anyway. Eclipse had shaved off nearly a full hour even with their unplanned stop.
Orianna stepped back so her mother could steer herself to the hallway.
“Have you heard from Erik again?”
“Not since last night. He said he’s coming today.”
“Did he say when?”
“Early.” Elizabeth glanced around, as though she wasn’t sure where she was. “At least I think that’s what he said.” Her eyes shot to Orianna’s face. “Did you find her?”
“Amber?” Orianna shook her head, motioned for her mother to lead the way. “Not yet.”
They ventured down the hall in silence, then into the kitchen. It looked the same as she remembered: same white refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove, familiar rooster border along the top of the laminate countertops, which had the same coffee cup stain that had been there for as long as Orianna could remember. It wasn’t the same house she’d grown up in, but it was the one they’d moved to after Elizabeth’s attack. Her mother had wanted out of Oklahoma City, and this had gotten her closer to her parents at the time.
“Would you like some coffee?” Elizabeth offered.
“I’ll make it, Mom.” Coffee was probably the worst thing for her right now considering her agitation, but the caffeine would do wonders to help her stay awake.
While Orianna went to work with the coffeepot, Elizabeth went for the refrigerator. She returned with a small bottle of creamer, set it on the counter.
“Did you find her?”
Orianna paused, coffee grounds suspended over the filter as she glanced at her mother. The drugs did that, she reminded herself. Made her forget things that happened. Like conversations had not two minutes ago.
“Not yet.” She dumped the grounds into the filter, closed the lid, and punched the button to start.
Once the coffeepot began its near-death gurgle, Orianna turned to face her mother. “When’s the last time the nurse was here?”
“Yesterday.” Elizabeth glanced at the table, the counter. “I think.”
Someone had been coming by, Orianna knew that much.
“Your father called yesterday,” Elizabeth said as she turned her chair around, headed to the refrigerator again.
Orianna watched her mother, her heart breaking when she realized Elizabeth was attempting to find the creamer, which she’d already brought over.
