Page 13 of The Silence of Monsters

He swore under his breath and told his niece, “There isn’t anything wrong with you. Even if you inherited some of your mother’s struggles, that’s simply a part of what makes you unique and special. We all have some challenges. No one is perfect, and your grandmother is very much in the wrong for trying to make you think otherwise.” He cocked his head in my direction. “Plus, there is no guarantee you will have to deal with mental illness in the future. Look at your Aunt Channing. She’s difficult, but not ill. And even if she were, it wouldn’t make you love her any less, would it?” Winnie emphatically shook her head.

I scowled at Win across the table but didn’t refute his claims. I had never sought or received a clinical diagnosis like my mother and sister because I was responsible for holding our shattered family together after Willow’s death. Even if I had an underlying problem, I masked it well, because there was no other choice. My role in my family didn’t allow me to have mental struggles along with everyone else. I faced the same unreasonable expectations as Winnie.

I cleared my throat and gave Winnie a slight smile. “When you finish this semester, I’ll take you to meet your other grandma. Maybe if you spend some time with her and see how much she loves you, your fears about the future won’t be as scary.”

That was one of the primary conditions I added into the marriage agreement. If Win wanted me to sign on the dotted line, he had to let Winnie meet my mom. Initially, he refused. It was a sticking point. He didn’t want to scare Winnie or worry her more about things that were far beyond her control. I flatly refused to move forward until he relented. My mother never recovered from my sister’s death. It felt like she was forever trapped in that moment. Although her mind was complicated and unpredictable, I secretly hoped that seeing Winnie and realizing what an amazing gift Willow left behind would help her move forward. I believed it would sincerely benefit Winnie to understand that there was an entirely different world outside of the Halliday estate. I wanted her to know that money couldn’t solve all of life’s problems, and that sometimes you just had to do the best with what you were handed. After an intense back and forth, Win conceded and agreed that I could introduce Winnie to my mother, as long as he was present.

Winnie smiled back at me with real delight shining out of her pretty eyes. “I would like that.”

After we finished the five-star meal, Winnie asked to go somewhere less uptight for dessert. When Win recommended a small ice cream shop a few blocks away, I was surprised. He didn’t strike me as the type who had a sweet tooth or would indulge in dessert. However, the staff behind the counter knew him by name and greeted him with a warm welcome. I waved off his offer to buy me something and avidly watched the tall man in his custom-made suit hover over the teenager as they eagerly picked out what they wanted to order. I had never really gotten the chance to witness how Win was with Winnie in their unguarded moments. I assumed he was as insufferable to her as he was with me. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he treated her with care. He wasn’t nearly as heartless as I believed him to be.

When they came back to the table, Winnie appeared to be much more relaxed than she was at dinner. I reached out to dig my finger in the whipped cream on top of her sundae, but Win interrupted the move. He gave me a narrow-eyed look and handed over his spoon that was filled with the fluffy white confection.

“Don’t use your hands.” His gruff reprimand made me roll my eyes.

I took the spoon and shoved it in my mouth, mostly to see if he would stand and fetch a fresh one or continue to use the one covered with my germs.

“Aunt Channing, if you’re moving back to the Cove, does that mean you have to quit your cool job?” Winnie looked in my direction, but I was watching Win use the spoon that had just been in my mouth. I couldn’t believe he didn’t get a clean one. I guess since he placed that brief kiss on me at the courthouse, he wasn’t too concerned that I might pass along the plague.

When my niece asked again, I jerked my attention back to her with a bit of effort. “Yes. I’ll have to find a new job. Don’t worry. I’ll look for something that has hours during the day while you’re in school. I want to spend as much time with you as I can.” That was another agreement that I’d worked into the marriage contract. I demanded that Win let me find employment outside of Halliday Inc. I couldn’t stand the idea of being stuck in the house with Colette all day, and I didn’t want to deal with him at both home and work. If I didn’t find something to do while Winnie was in class, I was going to climb the walls and feel even more trapped. He didn’t argue, but he added a clause that dictated the job be within certain hours and be something he deemed appropriate. I couldn’t go work in Roan’s bar — my first choice — or suddenly decide I wanted to be a stripper.

“The company has a lot of contacts with auction houses. I can have Conrad send you a list. If I get you in the door, I’m sure you’d get hired on the spot.”

I blinked at Win like he was speaking a foreign language. I couldn’t hold back a sarcastic laugh. “I’m not qualified to work in those places you’re talking about. I handle tchotchkes, not gold recovered from the Titanic and Banksy paintings. I’m used to selling to tourists and quirky home decorators. Not serious collectors, and definitely not experts.” Some items that moved through the high-end auctions were archaeological treasures. I couldn’t fathom putting a price tag on something with such historical significance. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I’ll find something.” I had a mishmash of unique skills I’d acquired by working multiple jobs since I’d been old enough to be employable. I married my jerk of a first husband when I was eighteen instead of going to college. I was on my own after Willow ran off with Archie, and even more so after she passed away. I’d never been afraid of hard, dirty work. Often, it was a pleasant distraction from everything else going on in my life.

“The bakery where your mom used to work is still in the same location. It’s changed owners a few times, but it’s still a local favorite. You practically grew up there. Maybe you should see if they’re hiring.” Win offered the information in an offhand manner, but I could hear the deep nostalgia in his tone.

His fondness when speaking of the bakery shocked me. Especially since it was where Willow and Archie met and fell in love.

Winnie glanced at me. I laughed at her and reached out to wipe a bit of chocolate sauce off her face. “Do you know how to bake, Aunt Channing?”

“A little. Your grandma taught me. Your mom was awesome at it. Way better than me. Everything she made turned out amazing, even though she never followed a recipe exactly. She was very talented.”

When Archie and Willow ran away to get married and escape Colette’s reach, my sister’s baking kept the two of them afloat. It didn’t take Archie long to realize that living paycheck-to-paycheck was not the lifestyle he wanted for his family, even though the two never went hungry or had to worry about having a place to live.

Winnie made a sad sound and got a distant look in her eye. “I wish I could remember more about my parents. I have a vague sense of being very loved. I guess that’s more than some kids get.”

Win told her very seriously, “That’s everything, Winnie. There are kids with both parents in their lives who won’t ever know that feeling. If your dad had the choice to leave anything with you, it would be the knowledge that he loved you deeply. He made a lot of mistakes along the way, but he truly wanted to do right by you and your mom.”

I felt a pang in my chest at Win’s words. As long as I’d known him, I’d never heard him speak with sentimentality or vulnerability. I always viewed him as a robotic CEO who only had the endless pursuit of profit in mind. It shocked me that he could show such an unguarded side of himself with Winnie.

My niece finished her ice cream and settled back in her seat. After spending the evening together, she appeared less resistant to the idea of Win and me joining forces through the fake marriage. It was a lot for a young girl to take in. Luckily, Winnie was wise beyond her years, and it helped that she came from a world where the people didn’t follow rules; they made them.

“I’m happy that you’ll be around more, Aunt Channing. And I’m glad you’re able to help Uncle Win. As long as the two of you try to have a civil relationship, I won’t interfere with your business. But if you’re making each other feel bad all the time, I won’t stand by and stay quiet. When you fight, it really stresses me out.”

Win and I exchanged a knowing glance. We were both achingly aware just how challenging her request would be. He and I were simply too different. There was always friction when we were together, even if neither one of us was looking to start a fire.

“I’m sure we can all get along and make this work with a bit of effort.” I said the words, though it wasn’t hard to tell I didn’t believe them.

Even if Win and I managed to play nice for the duration of the contract, Colette was going to make my life a living hell as soon as I stepped into her domain.

Win

“You want me to die, don’t you? You want me six feet underground with your father and little brother. I can’t believe you would be so cruel as to bring a member of that family into my home again. I always wondered if you hated me. Today I have no doubt, Winchester.”

I ducked my head and pulled Channing behind me to avoid the extremely expensive teacup my mother threw at my head. I anticipated an extreme reaction, but I wasn’t prepared for her to throw a tantrum like a child. It didn’t suit her cool, aloof personality.

“I don’t hate you. And I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, Mother. You’ve been demanding that I get married, regardless of my protests. You’re furious when I don’t do what you want. Now, you want me to feel guilty for listening to you.” Channing grabbed a handful of my shirt as she leaned around my body to peek at the hysterical woman. I felt she was quietly enjoying being able to witness Colette Halliday so flustered.

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