Page 98 of His Heart

“What?” A sick feeling turned my stomach. My mother? “How do you know?”

“The news article online gave her name,” she said. “I made some phone calls to confirm that it was her. She had a Texas driver’s license, plus an old one from Arizona.”

I stared at the counter, numb with shock. “She… she caused an accident?”

“Yes,” Mary said.

“But she didn’t kill anyone?” I asked.

“No.”

“Were people hurt?”

“The news said there were minor injuries, but no one was hospitalized,” she said.

“Oh god.” I pressed my hand to my stomach, wondering if I was going to throw up. “Do you know anything else? Why was she in Phoenix?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know,” she said. “I have the name of the funeral home where her body was taken. Do you want me to call for you?”

I took a deep breath. “No, I can call if you give me the number. Can you text it to me?”

“Yes, of course,” she said. “If you need to come to Phoenix, you’re welcome to stay with us.”

The Harpers still lived in the same house. I wasn’t sure if I could face that again. “I don’t know, Mary, I’ll think about it.”

“Brooke, I am so very sorry,” she said. “If there’s anything we can do, let me know. I mean that.”

“Thank you,” I said. “And thanks for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “At least let me know if you come to town.”

“I will.”

We said goodbye and a minute later, I got her text. This was so surreal. What had my mother been doing back in Phoenix? Why had she been driving drunk? What had she been doing all these years?

I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d gone back to Arizona looking for me.

* * *

An hour later,Sebastian came back from campus. He found me in my bedroom, packing.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Is everything all right?”

I folded the shirt I was holding and put it in my bag. “I have to go to Phoenix. My mom died.”

“Oh my god.”

Instantly, his arms were around me. I leaned into his thick chest and breathed him in. Let him hold me. I didn’t feel like crying. I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was still too shocked to feel much of anything.

“I’ll come with you,” he said.

I pulled back. “You have three finals this week. You’re not missing those.”

“Fuck my finals,” he said. “I’ll get them rescheduled.”

“Seb, I’m okay,” I said. “I’m going for a few days, that’s all. Her current boyfriend already took care of a lot of stuff, so it’s not like I’m being saddled with funeral arrangements.”

“Is there going to be a service or something?” he asked.

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