Page 80 of Too Far To Sea
“Sure. You’ll need help with those bags anyway.”
Sheila punched in the code for the alarm. The house was silent.
Sheila walked in the direction of her bedroom. Unsure what to do, Dana took the suitcases only as far as the bedroom door. Sheila came out with tears rolling down her face.
“He did. He left me. What am I going to do?” Sheila threw herself into Dana’s arms.
Dana let her cry, reminding herself that this was for Cheyanne’s sake. “Will you be okay here tonight?”
Sheila sniffed. “I suppose so. All my things are here. And the dog sitter is going to deliver my dogs in an hour. I really should be here for them.”
Dana guided her mother over to the couch.
“Are you going to be alright? Do I need to call somebody for you?”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
“Chey’s really worried that you might hurt yourself.”
“No, the only person I’m going to hurt is Mitchell.” Sheila straightened her shoulders. “Do you know why he really left me?”
Dana shrugged.
“I’m surprised, considering your relationship with the security officer.”
Not going there. “Why did he leave?”
“He’s running from INTERPOL.”
That was the last guess Dana would have had. “INTERPOL? Why?”
“Apparently, he had this side business where employees of hotels, casinos, and cruise lines would sell information. He orchestrated it all. Do you know how many people—women—could have been hurt? How many thefts could have happened?”
Chandler. Amy-Kate. The CCTV.
Her stepfather was behind it? McKay would never believe that. Of course, she couldn’t tell McKay. But still. “So, you’re telling me that Cheyanne’s dad is behind the people that allowed Chandler to buy information so he could meet up with Amy-Kate and cheat with her during the bachelorette?”
“I thought he was just upset about the wedding being off, which was why he was drinking so much on the ship.” Sheila shook her head.” I always choose the wrong men. The only time I chose right was your father.”
“But you’ve been with Chey’s dad for so long.”
“Yes, because, like I said, I’m not a strong woman. I need somebody.”
“Mom, do you have a counselor or a therapist we could call?”
“Oh, of course I do, dear. Why didn’t I think of that?”
Sheila whipped out her phone and made a call. The therapist could see her in an hour.
“You’ll stay to let the dogs in?”
“Sure.”
Dana made herself as useful as possible, spending most of the time with the dogs while she waited for her mother to return.
When Sheila returned, she was all smiles. She gave Dana a hug. “Thank you. Thank you for coming. An apology for everything sounds hollow, but maybe we could try to be friends.”
“I think I’d like that, Mom.”
