Page 175 of False God

“Hi,” I greet, grip temporarily tightening on the cup of coffee I’m holding. It was the only stop I made on my way here from the airport, wanting to get this conversation out of the way before surprising Lili.

I wasn’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow. But I signed the last of the deal papers a day early, then got on the first plane to New York.

“Charles. I—” She glances past me. “What are you doing here?”

Nonice to see you. Nowhat a wonderful surprise.

What are you doing here?

“I’ll explain,” I say tersely. “Can I come in?”

“Oh! Uh, yes. Of course.”

It’s not really anof coursethough. She looks uncertain and uncomfortable, fiddling with a pearl earring as she leads me into the sitting area located off the entryway.

It’s never been anof coursewith my mother.Maybe,possibly,we’ll see,one day,perhaps. Those are her mostcommon responses when I ask her about calling Blythe or visiting England.

And I’m done capitulating to her. She made her decisions, and it’s not my responsibility to make her reconsider walking away from us. It felt more important to maintain some connection with my lone living parent after my father died. Less so now.

He made lots of mistakes, but he didn’t choose to leave us. She did. Shekeepschoosing to leave us, and I’m finished acting like that’s acceptable.

“Derek’s out at a breakfast meeting. Had I known you were coming, I would have?—”

“I’m here to see you, Georgia. Not Derek.”

My mother nods once, hands falling into her lap and folding. Posture perfect. She looks regal.

I have a flash of memory. Her seated in the upholstered dining chair at the opposite end of the table from my father. Ten chairs running the length between them. Blythe and I always had to choose ends. Sides.

“Granny had a stroke.”

She pales. “Is Grace all right?”

“She’s fine. She spent several days in the hospital and has been at home resting ever since.”

More like entertaining. Last time I checked in with Elsie, she told me Gran has been hosting a revolving door of well-wishers. I haven’t visited Gran in several weeks. I told her she needed to apologize to Lili for her cold treatment at the garden party before I returned for tea.

I’d never given Gran an ultimatum before, and I don’t think she believed me at the time. I’m certain she does now.

“The doctors have her on blood thinners that should prevent it from happening again,” I add.

Georgia nods. “She’s tough.”

My jaw flexes. “Blythe is too. But do you know what she said to me when I got to the hospital? ‘She’s all we have left, Charlie.’”

“Aging is just as difficult for family members as?—”

“That’s not the bloody point! The point is, she needed you. She needs you, and you’ve never been there. Not once!”

“She’s welcome to visit anytime?—”

I interrupt her again. “Blythe’s never going to visit you, Georgia.Never. You’re a stranger who abandoned her.”

My mother flushes. “It was a … complicated situation, Charles.”

“You think I don’t know what Papa was like? You think Blythe doesn’t? We know because we lived with him forsixteen yearsafter you left! You think I couldn’t tell that you were miserable, even when I was a kid? I could. Divorcing Papa was one thing. But abandoning me and Blythe was another.”

She starts fiddling with her earring again. “He’d only give me the divorce if I gave up my parental rights. Your father didn’t want you seeing me or visiting here, so he made sure I had no custody claim. My options were to leave alone or not at all.”

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