Page 93 of Mic Drop

Mom takes in this information with a nod and retakes her seat. “Then shouldn’t you be helping her deal with her mother’s death?” She leans over and smacks my shoulder. I don’t move. “I thought I raised you better than that.”

“Luke and I had some business we had to deal with that couldn’t be put off. We’re flying back out to the Hamptons later, so I can continue helping her.” The lie sounds convincing to my ears. I glance at Luke, who does a slow blink of support.

“I hope you bring my daughter to me soon.”

Thinking we avoided the worst, I agree, “I know she wants to meet you.”

“Of course she does. I’m her only living mother now.”

Luke steps in, “Mrs. Hardy, where?—”

Mom cuts him off. “Only when she comes, we won’t serve her any iced tea. Or I guess we could,” she muses, “So long as we made it.I don’t trust that Black Widow. First she killed Darren and now her mother.”

“Mom, I explained this before. You’re wrong. Darren overdosed and her mother had cancer.”

Mom waves her hand. “You’re fine with her, seeing as you already killed your sister. Like finds like, they always say.”

Here we go. Do not engage. Step away from the nuisance. I get to my feet and check my watch. “Look at the time. We have to get going before we miss our flight, right Luke?”

Luke’s watching us like we’re playing at Wimbledon. “What?”

I tilt my chin, urging him to stand, all the blood rushing through my body in triple speed.

He finally picks up my clue. “Oh, right. We are on a tight schedule.”

“Schedule, smedule,” Mom says. “If your sister were here, she’d find herself a nice guy and settle down in a house, with a mother-daughter suite so I could live with her. But not you. You dumped me here and never visit. No, you?—”

Her tirade continues as I usher Luke out of the Florida room. As soon as we’re away from her, my eyes close. I exhale through my mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Ramona says. “She was in a good mood earlier.”

“It’s not your fault,” I answer her. “Have to admit, she went off the rails quicker this time, but it might be because I was physically here.”

“Perhaps. Do you want to visit her doctor? I can see if he’s in.”

“Thanks, Ramona, but I get updates from him regularly. I don’t think it’s important to interrupt his day.” Although, he may need to know I stopped by and set her back a little. “If you don’t mind, please tell him I was here before Mom’s next appointment.”

“I understand,” Mom’s nurse replies. “Can I get you anything for the road?”

Luke shakes his head. “No, we’re good.”

Heartfelt words pour out of my mouth. “I want to thank you fortaking such good care of Mom. I know she can be a challenge, to put it mildly.”

Ramona replies, “Honestly, she either thinks of me as her maid or as her friend. Either way, I’ve learned how to handle her nasty. She seems to reserve her worst for you, though.”

“Happy to be her trigger point,” I mumble. I give Mom’s nurse a kiss goodbye.

Luke and I exit her room and walk through the calming hallway, trying to regain my equilibrium. “Wow. B, I’m sorry you’ve had to live with this. How often do you two speak?”

“Maybe once a week or so. Less if I can help it.” We wave to the receptionist and go outside into the warm, cleansing air. “It’s always best when the call ends.”

He wraps his arm around my shoulder. This tiny bit of kindness is my undoing.

Possibly it’s Jenna’s seeking a divorce.

Perhaps it’s my frayed nerves over Lissa.

There’s always Dad’s death lurking.

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