Page 11 of A Break in Communications

“That’s so sweet… I’m so glad.”

“Me too,” Lucy said. “Say, Mom—”

“Do not,” I started, but I’d have more luck convincing the world to stop spinning.

“—don’t you think this apartment would look nicer with a fresh Christmas tree? I’ve been inviting Anna to a tree farm upstate, but she’s always too busy with work, but maybe if I invite you too, I can get her to relent.”

I put a hand to my head. I should have just given Lucy the documents. Should have walked away. Should have quit my job and moved to the mountains to become a monk. Mom looked around wildly, like she’d just found out she’d won the lottery.

“I… I think that sounds like a wonderful time,” she said, practically breathless. “A whole family bonding experience.”

I strained a smile. “You know Lucy isn’t a part of our family. She’s my coworker.”

Mom gave me a scandalized look. “Veronica—no—Anna—you do not need to be so shy. I’m your mother.”

“I’m notshy.”

Lucy put out a hand to Mom. “Let me see your phone? I’ll give you my number, and we can coordinate it.”

“Oh—of—of course,” Mom said, about as breathless as if a celebrity had offered her an autograph, fumbling her phone over to Lucy, who was on a murderous rampage this morning, because she lit up at Mom’s lock screen. “The Hague. Have you been?”

I hadn’t thought Mom could smile wider. Apparently she could. Christmas magic. “Oh… oh, not in some time now, but… but oh, yes. My cousin Eliza moved there and we’ve gotten to visit a few times, it’s… have you?”

“Not to the Hague, but it’s on my list,” Lucy said, which I would have bet three kidneys was a lie. “I’ve been to the Netherlands, but only passing through on the train. You’ll have to tell me more about the Hague next time, okay?”

That did it. I was fed up with this. I strained a smile at Lucy. “I’m sure my mother would love to talk all about it, but for now, don’t you need to get back to someone waiting for you at home, Masters?”

Lucy didn’t even bat an eyelid, barely glancing up from where she put her number into my mom’s phone, a sentence I never thought I’d dream up. “I already told Grandma I’d be spending the night with you, darling. Don’t worry.”

Grandma?That was what she came up with? Jesus, Mom would buy it, too.

Mom bought it, smiling sweetly at her. “Oh—do you look after your grandmother?”

“As much as I can,” Lucy said, finishing putting her contact into the phone and handing it back. “I work almost as much as Anna does, so I can’t exactly be there full-time, but I do what I can. She basically raised me, it’s the least I can do.”

God, talk about backfiring. I closed my eyes, breathing out slowly, and I gave up, letting Mom take the conversation, where she said, “That’s so sweet. Oh, that’s just wonderful, it’s… well. Oh, no, I should really be letting you both get ready for work and everything, but Lucy, it’s just so wonderful to finally get to meet you, Anna’s talked all about you—”

“Oh—have I?” I said, raising my eyebrows so far they probably started contributing to pollution of low-earth orbit. Lucy faked a bashful smile.

“Ah… only good things, I hope.”

“Oh—just the best things,” she said. “Okay, Anna, honey, I love you, I’m proud of you—”

“Mom—”

“And I’ll see you later today, okay?”

“Pleasedon’t.”

“Bye, sweetheart,” she said, giving me a hug, and she glowed in Lucy’s direction. “Bye, Lucy. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon,” she said, and I bit back my murderous instinct for long enough to close the door and hear Mom’s footsteps walking away, but it backfired, because Lucy took the opening to give me that self-satisfied smile and say, “Your mom’s lovely.”

“Whythe hell are you telling her we’re a couple?”

She raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t say we were a couple.”

“What—youreallyimplied it. And Mom’s already been—” I raked my fingers back through my hair. “How did you even know she’s been champing at the bit looking for me to date someone?”

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