Page 114 of She Wolf

“She is, yes, but she’s a little under the weather,” he says with a sympathetic gaze.

Kate simply nods. “Thank you. I’ll get Serine to bring you out a cool drink.”

“Thank you, Miss.”

Kate turns to Coralie who puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ve got you, no matter whether you decide to stay here or with us. Shall we go and see if we can talk to her?”

“Yes, if that’s okay.” We both nod and I hold Coralie’s hand as we enter the house.

“Mom. Hey, Mom are you here?”

“What do you want?” The voice is muffled but audible from where we are at the entrance to the property. Cigarette smoke lingers in the air along with expensive perfume and cleaning products. We round the corner into what I assume is the living area, the light muted from the heavy velvet curtains pulled shut, blocking out the sun. A hand draped over the back of the couch and a lit cigarette held loosely between two fingers is the only indication that anyone is in here.

Kate walks further into the room and around to the front of the sofa. We move forward and Kate’s mom comes into view. She’s dressed in a long silk nightie and matching dressing gown, her long nails perfectly manicured, hair falling out of what would have probably been styled elegantly. The coffee table is littered with bottles of liquor, all with varying amounts of liquid in them, and a crystal ashtray—which must have been emptied a little while ago—sits in the middle of it all.

As we move closer, she throws off the blanket that was covering her feet and sits up reaching for the wine bottle on the table and pouring a glass, while eyeing us.

“I’ve come to check on you. Are you okay?” Kate wrings her hands as she waits for her mother to reply but her face remains impassive as she blinks at her daughter.

“No thanks to you. What time is it?” she huffs out.

“Ten fifteen in the morning, mom.”

The woman Kate calls mom screws up her mouth and pops the cap off the prescription meds on the coffee table. She tips a couple into her hand and lifts it to her mouth swallowing them down with an entire glass of wine.

“Mom, can I help you? Let’s get you some support. I don’t like seeing you like this and—”

“Well, I don’t like seeing you at all,” she snarls back. I take a step forward but Coralie places her hand on my chest.

Taking in a shuddery breath, Kate stares at the floor.

“Mom, I’m going to go and stay at a friend’s for a while. Maybe even until school starts. I’m here to grab some stuff and then I’m going.”

“Good, you’re such a buzz kill. You wouldn’t even party with Russell. You could have really helped me out yesterday.” Her words are slurred as she speaks. “Instead, you ran away like a little frigid mouse. It’s better when you aren’t here. You’re so ungrateful and absolutely no fun at all.”

“Is Russell still here?” Kate’s eyes ping pong around the room like he could be hiding.

“No, he left me.”

“I… Mom if I go now, I won’t be back. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“What a loss,” is her mother’s reply as she rolls her eyes, douses her cigarette, and then lowers herself back down. No doubt about to pass out from the concoction that’s slowly doing its job.

“Bye, mom. Please, please call me. I love you.” Kate stammers out, her eyes start to well as she waits for her mother to respond, but her pleas and words of devotion are met with a bitter silence.

With one last look back at her mother, Kate heads out of the room.

“Should we inform someone Kate?” I ask wondering if she really wants this on her conscience.

“The house staff will be here. She’s been like this since my dad left.” And then she pulls her shoulders back and tries to stave off tears. “My room’s this way,” she says and starts to climb the staircase.

I squeeze Coralie’s hand again and then she follows Kate upstairs while I head outside to tell Anna it’s safe to go in. She scrambles out of my car where she and Casey have been waiting with Jack.

“Well, she’s a piece of work,” I whisper to Casey. “But it’s mainly the drink and pills talking. She’s pretty out of it.”

He shakes his head and sighs.

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