Page 260 of Keep This Promise
Eden is her normal, bubbly self, and as much as I hate to admit it, the satanic cat has helped. Pickles snuggles her and allows her to carry him around like a shawl. I’m pretty sure she was trying to paint his nails, but the beast drew the line there.
“Eden, how about we let your mum get some rest and go see what Mama James needs?”
She is out of the room before I can get up, calling for Mama James.
“She loves you,” Sophie says, staring at the open doorway.
“I love her, and I love you.”
“That’s smashing since we both love you as well.”
Sophie yawns, and I smile, leaning down again to give her that kiss. “Rest, my love, I’ll be back soon.”
Her eyes droop closed as she snuggles deeper into the pillow, and I leave the room. When I get to the living room, I stop. What in the ever-loving hell is my aunt doing? This isn’t a mess. This is a disaster.
“Mama James? What the . . .?”
She sighs heavily. “Did you even know you had all these files here?”
I blink because all of my patient files, which were in boxes, are now on the table in piles.
“I . . . did. But . . . they weren’t like this.”
“They were in boxes in that corner. Why?”
“Because they were just shipped here two days ago,” I explain. “Why are you touching them?”
“I’m cleaning this mess of a house so that your daughter and her mother have a fresh start.”
I stare at my normally stoic and strong aunt, who has tears in her eyes. So that is why she’s been borderline manically cleaning my house. Sympathy fills me, and I move toward her. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
She shakes her head. “Stop it. Don’t patronize me.”
“I’m not. You know this.”
“No, you are. I’m just emotional, that’s all.” She sniffles, and I pull her into my arms.
“Don’t cry.”
She pushes out of my embrace. “I was so scared. I love your little girl, and I almost lost my mind when she was taken. Then we almost lost Sophie because of that crazy lady. I thought there was something off about her . . . dating George. He’s not the smartest man in this world, you know?”
I laugh. “No, he’s not, but she was using him to keep up on the case against Wilkinson. They would talk, like most couples do, and then she was able to move her pieces where she needed. What she didn’t anticipate was Theo and Dr. Frasher.”
“Well, she’s a horrible woman, and I hope she can never come near this family again.”
“She won’t,” I promise. Not that it’s one I can really make, but I will do whatever I can to ensure she is never near us again.
“Have they caught the rest of the people involved?” Mama James asks.
So much has happened in the last five days that it’s hard to keep up. One piece of information leads to another, which leads to yet another, and at each turn, the authorities seem to be making arrests.
“They got a lot of them. Emmett is confident that we aren’t in imminent danger, so that’s what we’re going with.”
She lets out a huge sigh. “Oh, good. I didn’t think you were, but still. It’s been exhausting for everyone.”
I guide my aunt over to the chair that isn’t filled with files. “Why don’t you relax? You don’t have to clean and rearrange my house.”
“I need to help.”
