Page 157 of Be My Bride

Yeah. It could have.

I suck in a deep breath. “Everything good?”

It’s sad that I don’t know the answer to that. My mother’s wellbeing shouldn’t be a mystery to me. We don’t talk. At least, not about important things. Not since I moved out to go to college.

“Yes. You?”

“Fine.” It’s not a lie. I’m okay with my origins. I’m okay being that famous adopted kid. I’m living just fine like this. I don’t need concern. Pity. Understanding.

Not that Mom is offering any.

"The charity auction,” Mom says.

Bingo.

I swallow hard. Try to form a response in my head when there’s nothing but dread swirling in there.

“You need to come with me.” Her voice is firm. Like I’m still five. Still that shaking, terrified orphan with the big black eyes and the lisp.

My phone vibrates. I pull it from my ear and check the screen. There’s a text from Kaelyn. Something about her parents. Or her dance class. Or her expansive Disney DVD collection that I’m always teasing her about.

Just the sight of her name eases the knot in my chest. Makes everything feel warm. Light. Free.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t?” Her words are harder. Not soft. Not sweet. She doesn’t really care.

She really doesn’t expect me to resist.

“I’m busy,” I say.

“Too busy for your mother?”

There it is. The hint of a shriek. The touch of a whine. The after everything I’ve done for you, can’t you do this one thing for me tone. That’s the mom I know.

I rub my forehead. “I’ve got an asset transfer to work on.”

“Show up for one hour. Take some pictures with me.” Her tone becomes cajoling as she switches the subject. “How’s Kaelyn doing?”

“Mom—”

“It still amazes me that you two are friends. You couldn’t be more different.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” Mom laughs.

It sounds fake. Hollow.

“Invite her to come with you,” Mom says. “We can go shopping together. I can turn her into my little doll.” She gasps in excitement. “I’ll be her fairy god-mother.”

I almost snort. Mom nodding to Disney’s Cinderella to get her point across would have sent Kaelyn into a tailspin. They’ve never gotten along and Kaelyn is convinced that Mom’s secretly evil.

Thus the ringtone.

“There’s a new designer working with the agency. He’d make something dashing to go with her dark brown skin. In a few years, that dress will be worth millions.”

It’s so like Mom to think she can solve everything with money. As if cash can make up for sincerity, for genuine love, for trauma.

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