Page 62 of Like You Love Me

He walked up the driveway to the front door and rang the doorbell. He waited only a few seconds before the door was swung open and Denise appeared in front of him.

“You’re home,” she said with a sigh of relief. Wrapping her arms around her brother’s neck, she gave him a hard squeeze. The hug was comforting and exactly what he needed from his sister. “We were worried about you,” she said as she stepped back and out of his way so he could enter. “We all were worried.”

London stepped inside and waited for her to say more, but she dropped her eyes. “Carmen is in the kitchen washing dishes.”

“Where’s Camille?”

“She’s in the room with Gabriella.” Denise pointed behind him. “Mona is in her bedroom,” she said and urged for him to go and see her with a sweep of her hand.

With a nod, he turned on his heels and walked across the carpeted floor of the living room toward the hall in the direction of the master bedroom. Her door was shut. He rapped softly but didn’t wait for a response before stepping inside. London found Mona Lisa sitting in an armchair that faced the window, staring off in a daze.

“Mona?”

She jerked at the sound of his voice and looked over at him. Her eyes were red and swollen. He’d never seen her that way, even with the death of their father and mother. He moved over towards her. “I’m so sorry about Caleb.”

“Well, I guess I won’t have to worry about folks talking about me being married to the town drunk anymore,” she said bitterly.

“Mona, I’m sorr—”

She held up a hand. “Don’t you dare say you are sorry for my loss because we both know you couldn’t stand that man.”

“I won’t say I couldn’t stand him, but I will say he wasn’t good enough for my sister. But I wouldn’t wish death on him.” London walked around the chair and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I really am sorry.” She flinched on contact but then began to relax beneath the comfort of his touch.

She lowered her head. “Why didn’t you just get Caleb in the car and bring him home? Why did you have to argue with him at the bar?”

“I don’t know,” he began with a shake of the head. “I was upset. I should have made Caleb get into my vehicle and brought him home to you.”

“Yes, London, you should have! Instead, you punched him in front of everyone and now he’s gone.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Caleb is dead.”

“I know.”

She swung around. “Iknow, you know.”

“What does that mean?”

She hesitated before saying, “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

London took her hand and squeezed. “Mona, I hope you know, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And I also hope you know I had nothing to do with Caleb’s death.”

She swung around and looked at him with wide eyes. “What would make you say something like that?”

“Because I just spent the night being interrogated by the police, so it goes without saying, they suspect me of his death.”

Mona Lisa looked at him a few moments longer before giving a dismissive wave. “Oh, please. I know you weren’t responsible for that.”

“You do?”

She gave London a look of surprise. “What would ever make you think that? You’re my brother. I’ve known you your entire life, and I know you don’t have that in you. You’ve always tried to protect us.”

He scowled. “And you see how much good that did.”

“Even though you threatened to kill my husband, and I’m angry at you, I know my brother wouldn’t do something like that.”

“Thank God,” London said, and leaned over to hug her close.

“Did you really think I would feel that way about you?” Mona Lisa drew back and searched his eyes.

London released her and took a knee on the rug beside her. “When it came to Caleb, I never knew what to expect.”

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