“Really?” she whispered as she took the photograph from me, eyes dancing across the frame. “She’s pretty.”
“She is.” I smiled as I brought my gaze to my mother’s heart-shaped face. “To this day, she’s my best friend. I don’t know what I would have done without her growing up and I still don’t know what I would do without her.”
“Did she work a lot?” Claire asked as she handed the picture back.
I set it down again but kept it facing us. Even through the picture, her kind, smiling eyes encouraged me. “She did. She’s a lecturer in psychology at a college not too far away from here. In between her classes, she has consultation hours, grading papers, counseling sessions, and she volunteers at a few places.”
“Were you lonely growing up?” she asked before sucking her lower lip between her teeth again.
I nodded. “Sometimes, but once I figured out that she was doing what she needed to do to keep us going, to support me as much as possible, and to stay true to herself all at the same time, it got better.”
“Is that why you also studied psychology?” She glanced at the photo again. “To follow in her footsteps?”
“Yeah, it is. She’s my best friend and I’ve learned so much from her.” I rolled my lips into my mouth as I tried to decide how much of my past to share with Claire. I could see she needed me to be honest, though. “I went through some rough times when I was about your age. I was bullied quite badly, and if it wasn’t for my mom, I don’t know how I would have gotten through it. I did get through it, though. With her help. Once I had, I just knew that I wanted to help other people like she had helped me.”
Claire blinked at me, a bushy eyebrow lifting. “You were bullied?”
I nodded and got to my feet, opening my desk drawer once I sat down behind it again. While I answered her, I pulled out a few sheets of paper. “Like I said, I know that being a girl can be hard at your age. I have personal experience with just how hard it can be.”
Claire frowned at the papers as I pushed them across my desk and placed a pen down on top of them. “What’s that?”
“It’s enrollment forms for an after-school program for girls nearby. My mother used to volunteer at the center, and I do sometimes too. When I have time. If you’re willing to give it a shot, I think you could be happy there.”
Cocking her head, she pulled the forms closer and studied them. “What do they do there?”
I shrugged. “A little of this and a little of that. Basically, it’s a safe place for you to go after school. It’s free and the women who work there are kindred spirits, as well as the other girls. They’re pretty awesome. You won’t be alone there and there are plenty of people who will support you with what you’re going through.”
She paused before lifting her gaze to mine, worry clouding her eyes. “Do you think they’ll like me?”
“I know they will.” I offered Claire a smile and talked her through some of the activities offered by the center. Then I walked her out of my office.
“I think I’ll go check it out,” she said just as the bell rang. She joined the throngs of kids out in the corridor and was swallowed up by the crowd in no time.
Exhilaration traveled through me as I breathed a sigh of relief. The program was going to be good for Claire.
My thoughts were interrupted by a buzzing sound coming from underneath my notebook. A frown flickered across my forehead before I remembered I’d taken my phone out of my purse just before Claire’s session had started.
An unfamiliar number lit up my screen and my stomach grew strangely cold as I slid my finger across the green bar. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Elsie Landrum?” a clipped voice asked.
The cold feeling spread. “Speaking.”
“Ms. Landrum, this is Dr. Jennings over at Dallas General Hospital. You’re listed as the emergency contact for a Catherine Landrum. She’s your mother, correct?”
“Yeah—yes,” I stammered, my heartbeat kicking into a much higher gear as it raced like it was trying to break out of my chest. “Is she okay?”
“I’m afraid your mother has had a heart attack. We need you to come down here right away.”
The icy fingers of dread crept through me, wrapping around all my vital organs as my knees went weak. “Of course. I’ll be right there.”
Without bothering to pack up my things, I grabbed only my purse and ran at a full sprint to my car. My mind felt hazy, but my body moved on autopilot. All the way to the hospital, I sent up prayers to every deity who might listen that my mommy would be okay.
It hadn’t escaped my notice that the doctor hadn’t answered me when I’d asked him that question. Hot tears burned my eyes and spilled down my cheeks as my heart kept pounding in my chest.
After arriving at the hospital, I nearly slammed into another car as I made a sharp left into a parking spot. I ran inside without a backward glance. I didn’t even know if I’d locked the vehicle or not, but it hardly seemed to matter.
All that mattered was getting to my mother. People swarmed everywhere around me, but it was like I had tunnel vision. Announcements came over a system, but I couldn’t make out what was being said.
I managed to get myself together enough to ask a harried-looking woman at the front desk where to go. Then I raced off in the direction she pointed me in. A tall man with graying hair stood at the nurses’ station when I made it to the right floor, and as if he’d sensed me coming, he turned just as I threw open the door into the ward.
“Ms. Landrum?” he asked, stepping forward. “I’m Dr. Jennings. We spoke a little while ago.”
“Yes,” I said, my eyes wide as they darted from the doctor to the rows of doors in the hallway behind him. “Where is she? Where is my mother?”
His mouth formed a straight line and his eyes were kind as he gave his head a slight shake, saying the words that sent my world crashing down all around me.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Landrum. I’m afraid she didn’t make it.”
Chapter 2
Taydom
“There’s a woman here from the Dallas Times to interview you, Mr. Gaines,” my secretary said when I picked up the receiver of my office phone. “She’s a few minutes early. I can ask her to wait.”
“No, I’m ready for her.” I wanted to get the interview over and done with. “Send her in.”
I exhaled through my nostrils and closed my eyes, praying for some semblance of patience. Why the fuck had I agreed to do this interview again?
Oh, yes. Andrew, my supposed best friend, had set it up. Apparently, the reporter was hot and she’d agreed to go out with him if he got her a sit down with me. Typical.
For some reason, though, I loved the asshole, so I buttoned up my jacket and stood as I waited for this hot reporter to come in.
When she did, I was underwhelmed. Red hair tumbled past her shoulders and her lips matched the color. Dramatic makeup on her eyes made them seem smaller and almost beady.
I sighed internally. Seriously, Drew?
“Mr. Gaines,” she said as she stepped onto the laminate flooring that covered the expanse that was my corner office. “It’s nice to meet you.”