Page 59 of One Wild Ride

TWENTY-THREE

Aria

“I hate cleaning,” I said to the dust bunnies.

With a broom in one hand and a dust pan in the other, I sniffled as I swept up the dirt and dust from my wooden floor.

It had been a few weeks since getting rid of the listening devices and working on the mural. Today I decided to take a break from painting and stay home to clean. Alex and I had found twenty bugs in his place before we came to my apartment where I found fifteen.

We destroyed most of them, except for the ones that were in our bedrooms. Those we kept and planted them near the animal exhibits at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

If Mrs. Hawthorne wants to listen in on what her son does in bed . . . well, she will now get her fill of crazy monkey sex.

Morgana comes home next week from New York and I wanted the place to be clean for her return. I went to visit her two weeks ago with her parents. She looked good but wasn’t as happy as I was hoping she would be.

Maybe coming home to a clean apartment and some of her mom’s cake that her mom was planning to make for a welcome home party would cheer Morgana up.

As for me, I’ve never been happier. Alex and I have yet to do the deed and I’m surprised that it doesn’t bother me.

A little too surprised. Something kept nudging at my chest every time I thought about having sex with Alex. And that scared me. I don’t mind him being my first boyfriend. I’ve been with him longer than I have been with any man, but eventually things will have to come to an end.

It’s not like we will be together forever. Just a summer fling, right?

Besides, Alex’s mom mentioned this woman Alexa. Perhaps she’s an old love. Some friend of the family that his mom would be overjoyed for Alex to be with.

My chest began to hurt again.

There was a knock at the door pulling me from my thoughts. I dropped the broom and dust pan like they were terrible because they were and went over to the door.

I glanced out my peephole expecting to find one of my neighbors since someone from outside would have to be buzzed into the building.

I gasped when I saw who it was. My hand shook as I reached for the doorknob and opened the door.

“Mom, what are you doing here?” I asked in shock to see the woman I hadn’t laid eyes on in over five years.

“Aria, it’s nice to see you,” she said as she tried to smile.

She was lying. Someone made her come here. My mom never wanted me and made it obvious with her actions, and even if she didn’t say the words, she believed the wrong sister died.

“Are you going to invite me inside?” She lifted her jaw the same way she did when she was unhappy.

“Yes, please come inside.” I stood back, opening the door to let her through.

I wasn’t surprised when her lips pursed as her eyes scanned my apartment. My mother was used to high-priced, upscale, and anything that was made of gold, platinum, and silk.

“It’s quaint.”

“You can stop pretending now,” I said as I frowned and waved toward the living area. “Come sit on the couch and tell me why you’re here. Is it Dad? Did he send you?”

I moved to the overstuffed chair next to the old, brown couch. Our hodgepodge of furniture was not up to my mother’s standards as she leaned down to sit like she was about to take a shit.

“Your father wants you to come to California,” she said as her eyes wandered around the room.

“Why?”

I wasn’t about to up and leave my friends and especially Alex, just because my father snapped his fingers.

“He’s having his fiftieth birthday. I am planning a big celebration.” My mother finally brought her attention back to me and not my second-hand furniture.

---