Page 49 of Sutton's CEO

Candice frowned. “Why would anyone think that about you?”

I had explained my past to Candice in theory, but I had left out some pertinent details—crack whore mother hadn’t made the cut. I don’t know what it was about her, maybe the way that she didn’t judge me like everyone else in my life. Or perhaps it was the way she seemed to want me to find happiness, but I found myself opening up to her.

“Do you remember when I told you that I grew up poor?”

Candice nodded.

“Well, there is a little more to it.” Taking a deep breath, I went on. “My mom, she wasn’t like the other moms.”

Candice leaned in. “How so?”

I let out a mirthless laugh. “When I was six, she sent me outside with a bag of money to give a man in a black shiny car. We usually didn’t get fancy vehicles like that around Otterville Falls. But I was familiar with this one. She had sent me out before to trade the man for another brown paper bag. I wasn’t to open it, just bring it inside. And then mommy would need to sleep for a long time.”

“Oh, Sutton.” She covered her mouth.

I continued, “The police were onto Mama, and she wasn’t being careful. There was a raid and I was taken from her for six months. My foster parents didn’t give a shit about me, only the paycheck that they received from the state. Mom managed to clean herself up a little bit and I was given back to her. A little battered and bruised, but I didn’t care. I only wanted to be with my mom.”

“Was she able to stay clean?” I glanced at Candice, and my answer must have been written across my face, because she sighed heavily. “I am so sorry.”

I gave her a faint smile. “Don’t be. We muddled along well enough. Sure, there were bad times and times when she did some horrible things. But there were good times as well. My mother did love me.”

I hated the way my voice sounded, almost pleading in a way.

“I am sure she did,” Candice replied softly. “What did she do for work?”

I blew out a harsh breath. “Anyone with enough cash to get her high.”

“Sutton, I don’t even know what to say.” I could tell that she was stunned, and suddenly I felt embarrassed for sharing such a private part of my past.

“Anyhow,” I went on hurriedly, “two of our old neighbors there, Earl and Martha, they have been a constant in my life. And I mean that in the respect that Martha consistently hated my mother and now me. Earl is a dear and would often come to my place to get away from Martha’s caustic tongue.”

“What is Earl like?” Candice wriggled her eyebrows. “Is he hot?”

I burst out laughing. The thought of Earl and his nasty underwear being sexy was almost too much for me to handle.

“He has to be in his eighties, usually wears dirty underwear and a stained wife beater. Oh! And I think he might weigh ninety pounds soaking wet.”

Candice laughed at the picture I painted. “Sounds like a real charmer.”

I smiled widely. “Definitely. If he isn’t stealing from the collection plate, he is drinking the sacramental wine. You can’t help but love his old ornery ass. Martha is something else, and I have no idea why he stays with her except that it’s always been the two of them. Perhaps it is what’s familiar to them both.”

Candice shook her head. “I should like to visit Otterville Falls one day. It sounds like a fun place.”

I regarded her for a moment. I would never have considered Otterville Falls as fun or even put them into the same sentence before. But the more I thought about it, the more I deemed her to be right.

“I think you would like to visit,” I told her truthfully. “There are these two older ladies Alice and Reena who hit on anything that has a penis. The best part is that they look like the odd couple. One is really heavy and the other is super thin. They are good friends of mine.”

Candice tipped her head to the side. “They sound adorable. Is everyone older? You haven’t talked about anyone your age.”

I made a face. “I wasn’t exactly popular for obvious reasons. It wasn’t like I could have friends over, and nobody wanted me to come to their house. I worked with a guy at a bar who later became my boss when his mom passed away. He never treated me well, but he made sure I had a job and steady income. I know that his mama, Ruth Ann, asked him to look after me when she passed, so it wasn’t out of the kindness of his heart.”

Candice frowned. “What about birthday parties and sleepovers? Did you ever do anything like that?”

I shuddered remembering some of the ‘sleepovers’ that my mother participated in. “No,” I said shortly. “My mother’s customers stayed over, but somehow I don’t think that is what you are talking about.”

“Did they ever hurt you?” she asked softly.

I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s all over and has been for a long time.”

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