“What have you done,” Delilah asked her mother again.
“Mother Abigail wanted to retaliate against you after that brunch. I negotiated a truce.”
“No one asked you to do that,” Delilah said. “And for your information, this interview has nothing to do with Tyson or Mother Abigail. This is for Goodiva, and it’s about her disappearance. I don’t care about the Montgomery’s. I’m doing all of this to help my friend.”
“Goodiva? Shelly? Why... something changed? She alive?” Delores asked.
“Yes, she’s alive. We found her. We saw her.”
“Oh baby, that’s great news!” Delores tried to hug Delilah, but she shrugged her off.
“There’s a connection between that Master of Mayfair, Jaxon Price, and the Saudi family.”
“Wait... Saudi? What are you talking about? And who is Jaxon Price?” Delores stammered.
“It’s the hands of Homeland Security and the NSA now. That’s why I couldn’t talk to you about it.”
“But you’re talking to the press? That makes no sense,” Delores said.
“It’s complicated!” Delilah snapped.
Delores looked confused. “Mother Abigail said...”
“See? She’s in your head, Ma. She can’t do or say anything to change my love for you. Stop negotiating with her. It’s ridiculous how much she scares you.”
“Dee?” Queen opened the door. “Hey, we need to talk. Can you step out for a moment?”
“Give us a minute,” Delilah said.
“The interview is over. We got a bigger problem. I’m sorry.”
“What now?” Delilah threw up her hands in defeat. “What?”
“Mother Abigail and her sons are here. She’s threatening to give an interview of her own with the Washington Post if we don’t let her in the house right now.”
“What in the hell? We’re in quarantine. She can give whatever interview she wants! Escort her off my land—”
“No!” Delores said. “No, baby, we can’t dismiss her. Please. Let her in. I promise I’ll tell you everything. Please. Whatever you do, just trust me right now. Okay? And Queen, you have to go. It’s a family matter. It’s private.”
Delilah gave an incredulous laugh. “You can’t kick anyone out of my house. Queen is my sister. She stays for your confession and Mother Abigail’s performance. And then I’m done with this. Forever.”
“Delilah, I know you don’t deserve this. You want peace. I promise after this conversation you’ll have it. Please. I’ll tell you everything if we can talk to Mother Abigail. Okay? Alone.”
Queen shrugged that it was up to Delilah. The mere thought of Mother Abigail entering Delilah’s homemade her blood run cold. She glared at her own mother and wonder if this was her doing. “You’re going to tell me everything. You hear me. Everything. And put on mask Mama! Far as I’m concerned, Abigail’s Typhoon Mary.”
Queen handed a mask to Delilah, and the two walked out of the room shoulder to shoulder. Queen was her best friend. Goodiva may have been missing, but their bond was still strong. Together they slew the dragons in their lives and won. Now they had powerful government agencies on their side. They knew Goodiva was alive, and they could help her.
“What is going on with your mom?” Queen asked.
“She’s a drama queen,” Delilah mumbled.
“Look who’s talking!” Queen laughed.
“True. I don’t know. But whatever it is, it involves Mother Abigail, and that can’t be good,” Delilah sighed. She grabbed her coat off the hook and pulled it on. “For whatever reason, the Post contacted the Montgomery’s about our interview on Jaxon Price. Probably because Tyson is tied into this mess, and we got the government digging in on his crooked ass. It’s all boiling over into more drama just when I was hoping to be drama-free.”
“You want me to stay close?” Queen asked before she opened the door.
“Can you and Apollo hang out at the cottage until I’m done? I’ll have Maverick come for you when this blows over.”
Queen agreed. The door opened just as she adjusted her face mask. She stepped outside into the cold. Mother Abigail appeared sheltered in her floor-length sable mink coat. Her two sons were with her with Stetsons on their heads and cowboy boots on their feet. They must have driven straight in from her ranch on the other side of the Cove. Tyson wasn’t among them.
“What do you want?” Delilah asked.
“Where is your mother?” Mother Abigail replied.
“What do you want?” Delilah demanded.
“I made myself clear to her. You let me inside, and we end this war today. Or I’ll just take it to the public like you did. Especially when you two and your other friend aren’t exactly good girls, are you?”
Queen looked to Delilah, and they exchanged a concerned stare. Delilah shook her head in disgust but relented. “Only you. Your sons aren’t welcome in my home!”
“Ma,” her son objected. “We’re not letting you go in there alone.”
“It’s okay, Mikey. She doesn’t scare me,” Mother Abigail chuckled.
“Queen, stay close,” Delilah said. “You might have to keep me from killing her.”
“You got this,” Queen smiled. Delilah went inside. Mother Abigail came up the steps with the help of her son Michael. Delilah didn’t bother to wait for her. She took off her coat and went inside the parlor. Her mother stood near the fireplace staring at the picture of Noah. Delilah had removed Charles's photos after she found out he was a lying scumbag. When she came inside, Delores looked at her daughter with the most defeated expression she’d ever seen.
“Is she here—” her mother asked. She stopped speaking at the sight of Mother Abigail.
“Put on your mask, mother,” Delilah warned. “I don’t want you getting sick.”
“I warned you, Delores. I will protect my sons the best I can. If I can’t, then I’ll take you down with me. You both,” Mother Abigail said.
“Mama? Say something. I’m only three minutes in, and I’m about to throw her out on her ass!” Delilah said.
“Look at your mouth, nice,” Mother Abigail said. “Must come from wallowing around in Charles Jr’s bed with that racist cop you brought to town from New York.”
“Leave Maverick out of this. The only racist in this house right now is you. You hate your own kind. Don’t forget I know your politics and beliefs. You took a third of my lifetime drilling them into me,” Delilah said. “You hypocrite!”
“That’s enough, Dee! Stop! I mean it,” Delores said. “I’m not here to referee your war. This is about ending it. Once and for all.”
“Why are we even entertaining her?” Delilah asked.
“I’m going to tell you. If you sit down and be quiet. I want you both to sit,” Delores said. Delilah didn’t like the triumphant smug look on Mother Abigail’s face. Out of respect for her mother, she did as she requested. Queen nodded to them all and left the parlor. Delores stood by the fireplace holding the picture of Noah to her chest. It looked as if she were pressing the photo to her heart.