Page 23 of Love Over Time

“No. But let’s do it anyway.”

I climbed up the ladder first. Cold and slimy under my touch, it rattled every time my foot landed on a rung. When I reached the top, I shouldered the manhole cover and moved it out of the way. A layer of mud avalanched down the opening and onto my clothes. Great. I bet Nikki was dry and comfortable in her high-tech suit. On the bright side, the cloudy, dark sky and rain turned everything, including us, to the same pale-gray color. If we couldn’t see the guards, there was little chance they could see us.

“Don’t move,” Nikki whispered, pressing her warm body against mine. I snaked my arm around her waist to keep her steady on the narrow rung, while she adjusted her night-vision goggles on her face. “There’s a guy in uniform walking along the wall. What’s with the double security? Is your uncle nervous about something?”

“He should be. I’m back in town, and he’s keeping my mom prisoner in her own home.” How lonely she must’ve been all these years, doped up on God knows what kind of meds for a condition doctors couldn’t diagnose. “Can we go now?”

“Yeah.” Nikki rushed through the last steps as the ladder squeaked under our weight. She headed straight for the hidden door behind the bushes, dropped her backpack on the ground, and crouched next to it. “Gosh, I don’t remember this door being this small.”

“I know. You think you can work this lock?”

She snorted and glanced up at me. “There’s nothing even fancy about it. Now stop talking. I need to concentrate.”

While Nikki worked her magic, I sat against the wall, wiping mud off my pants, wishing I’d worn the suit she’d given me. “You remember when we used to sneak out in the middle of the night?”

“Yeah, I remember. Can you imagine what your mom would’ve said if she’d found out you were sneaking around with the help?” She forced a laugh.

I reached for her hand. “You were never the help. And Mom knew. She knew about the hot chocolate and the tunnels.”

“What? How come you didn’t tell me? All that time, I thought we were drinking stolen hot chocolate.” She shook her head, smiling.

“It made you happy. I didn’t want to kill the thrill for you.” I touched her cheek. She covered my hand with hers and met my gaze. “Nikki—”

“We’re in.” She pushed the door, and it creaked open. A musty and cool breeze rushed in our direction, as if the tunnel had been holding its breath all this time. With a tight grip on my flashlight, I snuck in behind Nikki and let the door shut behind me.

I took a deep breath to ease the pounding in my chest. “Straight ahead, I think?”

“I just kicked something.” Nikki’s voice quaked. She bumped into me, and her beam of light danced around the walls.

“Don’t think about it, just keep going.” When we were kids, this place hadn’t seemed so gloomy. We’d sit here and listen for the steps overhead, while dust fell down on us like snow as people rushed back and forth. Maybe that was the difference. The house felt deserted now and eerily quiet.

I picked up the pace and hung a left at the end of the hallway. The way I’d done countless times when Cavalier Manor was home to me.

“Is this the right spot?” I leaned on the wall and pushed. Shuffling sounds came from the other side, but the door didn’t spring open like it was supposed to.

“I think so. There’s something blocking the way.”

“Yeah.” I pushed my body up against it again, and the door gave way just enough for Nikki to squeeze through the gap.

“It’s a settee. Hang on.”

Nikki was like a ghost, soundless and quick as she moved the furniture around, before she came back to let me in. This was the worst time for it, but all I wanted to do was kiss her again.

“There’s no one home, Henry,” she whispered.

“Let’s check Mom’s room first.” I dashed upstairs. Had my uncle taken Mom somewhere else? Had we waited too long to come back? I barged into Mom’s bedroom, and my stomach sank. Clothes were spread on the bed and on the chaise near the bay window, while a bunch of hangers lay on the floor. “Does it look to you like they left in a rush?”

“No doubt. Did your uncle know you were coming? You think your mom told him about your visit?”

“Fuck.” I rubbed my face with both hands. “Why would she do that? Does she really not want to see me?” I swallowed and plopped myself on the mattress.

Had I made it all up? Had I imagined the fear in Mom’s eyes? I’d been so quick to believe she’d been kept here against her will. Anything was better than accepting the fact that Mom didn’t want me. Obviously, I was wrong. Why else would she flee a couple of days after she saw me?

“Let’s not jump to conclusions.” Nikki brushed her fingers along my jaw and then slipped them into my hair.

I pressed my cheek to her chest and hugged her. The scent of her fancy body wash kept me from spiraling into a dark place of self-pity and giving in to this anger I’d felt toward Mom all these years.

“If she’s as sick as you said, maybe she doesn’t want to impose on you. Maybe she wants you to remember her the way she used to be, before she got sick.” She kissed the top of my head and peeled my arms from around her. “We’re already here. How about we take a look around and see what we can find? This is our chance to riffle through your uncle’s study. Not that he’d leave your dad’s real will just lying around, but you never know.”

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